Forced conversion happens in Pakistan
By Shafique Khokhar
Aug 25 2020
A Muslim businessman offers over a thousand dollars to Christians who convert to Islam, almost six thousand if an entire Christian family converts. His video praising Islamic proselytising goes viral: even young Muslims are pushing young Christians to abandon the Christian faith. For human rights advocate, the authorities must stop such hatemongers.
LAHORE – A video posted on TikTok two days ago has gone viral. In it Mian Kashif Zameer Chohadary, a Muslim textile businessman, urges Christians to convert to Islam. If they do, he will give them each 200,000 rupees (about US$ 1,186), a million (US$ 5,930) if an entire Christian family converts.
The video was posted by account n. 9999. The author, with a gold chain around his neck (which might weigh a few kilos), says: “Hi! My name is Mian Kashif Zameer. Here on TikTok, people issue stupid challenges to others. But now I’m about to announce an offer that has never been made [. . .]. If a Christian accepts Islam, I will give him 200,000 rupees; if a whole family converts to Islam, I will give a million rupees. Please accept Islam, which is the best religion.”
Mr Kashif, who belongs to the MD Group, also says that everyone must help and support those who convert to Islam because this work will help them on the day of salvation.
Yesterday in another video, he offers his best wishes to the Governor of Punjab, Chaudhary Muhammad Sarwar, showing that he has important ties with the authorities.
Many Christians feel offended by Kashif’s proselytising. But forced conversions to Islam also affects Pakistan’s Hindu and Sikh minorities.
In late July, another video on TikTok went viral. It shows a group of young Muslim men trying to force a young Christian to reject Christianity and recite the Kalima, the Islamic beliefs.
The video was posted on the Bilal Maher 479 account. In it, a young Christian says that he will never recite the Muslim beliefs and that he would never reject his Christian faith. When the Muslim men threaten him, he says he is ready to face all the consequences, but that he will not give up his religion.
Mariyam Kashif Anthony, a human rights advocate and teacher in Karachi, slammed these incidents, calling on Pakistan’s telecoms authorities to find their authors through their TikTok accounts and prosecute them in accordance with the law.
“These hatemongers must be taught a lesson by police. We Christians are very weak and we are not rich, but our faith in Jesus Christ is stronger than theirs,” she said.
“Jesus Christ has the power to save and protect us. We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Living One, that no power can defeat.” – Asia News
