[As a second wave of coronavirus infections sweeps Pakistan this month after an extended lull, officials have issued strong warnings to the public to take extra health precautions and minimize social activities. Nationwide, the death toll from the virus has passed 9,500, according to official statistics. A total of 463,000 cases have been reported, and more than 2,000 are being added daily.]
For the first time in memory, the
poor Christian community known as French Colony here in Pakistan’s capital is
not staging the famous Christmas display that normally draws thousands of
visitors and provides a rare chance for members of this struggling religious
minority to showcase their creativity and celebrate their faith.
“People here are having a hard
time. Many have lost their jobs due to the virus. The Christmas spirit is still
here, but the pockets are empty,” said Sohaib Khan, 31, a driver. As he spoke
in a narrow alley, children rushed by laughing and adults squeezed past. Only a
few people were wearing masks.
As a second wave of coronavirus infections sweeps Pakistan this month
after an extended lull, officials have issued strong warnings to the public to
take extra health precautions and minimize social activities. Nationwide, the
death toll from the virus has passed 9,500, according to official statistics. A
total of 463,000 cases have been reported, and more than 2,000 are being added
daily.
In this majority-Muslim
nation of about 210 million, only 2 percent of the population is Christian, and
Muslim communities have borne the brunt of the virus. But last week, health
authorities issued specific instructions for communities observing Christmas,
advising people to stay home, curtail church services and cancel public
activities that draw outside visitors.
The advisory from the National
Command and Operations Center, a civilian and military task force that
coordinates efforts to combat covid-19, called Christmas celebrations a “major
challenge” that could “amplify the transmission of the virus” and disrupt the
country’s response capacity.
[Christians
come under threat in Pakistan: ‘No one accused of blasphemy is ever safe’]
Christians historically have played
a major role in developing Pakistan’s education system and have built majestic
urban cathedrals. But they have met with rising persecution in recent years as
Muslim sentiment has radicalized. Some Christians have faced accusations of
blasphemy against Islam, a capital crime, and been lynched or jailed for life.
Many live in run-down but tightknit
urban enclaves such as French Colony, working at menial jobs as cleaners,
drivers and cooks. Christmas is the highlight of their year, and they spend
weeks preparing elaborate outdoor displays. On Christmas Eve, the scenes are
thronged by television crews, VIP officials and thousands of visitors.
But this year brought little of
that excitement. By Wednesday, only a few strings of lights had been hung from
churches and rooftops in French Colony. In the twisting alleys, vendors had set
up tables of Christmas ornaments, but there was little holiday buzz. And
although many residents were not wearing masks, they said they were aware of
the danger and trying to reduce the risk of catching or spreading the virus.
“We like to hug at Christmas, but
this year we can’t,” said Binish Aini, 38, a mother of four. “The government
said we should avoid bringing a rush of people, and we want to obey, but it’s
not easy to keep our kids from playing with each other outside. We believe God
will protect us, but it’s also up to the authorities.”
[Pakistan’s
top court acquits Christian woman facing death penalty for blasphemy]
The worst impact of the virus for
this community has been economic. Few residents said they knew anyone who had
become seriously ill from covid-19, but everyone knew someone who had lost a
job.
Pervaiz Jan, 32, was laid off from
his job with a delivery company soon after the virus hit Pakistan in March. On
Wednesday, he set up a sidewalk table with tiny reindeer and Christmas tree
ornaments, but he made few sales.
“People have less money to spend,
and I think they are afraid to celebrate openly,” Jan said. “I don’t see many
happy faces.”
By the next day, Christmas Eve, the
mood had picked up. More fairy lights had been strung up after dark, and
holiday music boomed from amplifiers. But the traditional highlight of the
season — the panorama of handcrafted angels, animals and snow-covered forests —
was not there. Below the sloping field where it had always been staged, a
debris-choked stream was visible.
Trying to make up for the
disappointment, community leaders put together a more modest show, creating a
Nativity scene with cardboard farm animals resting on straw and cardboard
angels hanging from branches. As night deepened, it became clear that few
outside visitors were coming, and local families began bringing their children
to see the display.
“Everyone is scared of the virus,
and nobody wants to go out in crowds, but our country has suffered much less
than other parts of the world,” said Eman Faiz, the pastor of a small
Pentecostal church in the community. “God has spared us to a great extent, and
we feel especially blessed.”
Kamran James, a longtime organizer
of the Christmas display, said that last year’s spectacle drew record numbers
of visitors from many faiths. This year, he said, “we are doing things in a
more limited, careful way. But we are still celebrating the birth of the King
of Kings. He is the light, and that matters even more than our lives.”
‘We
are many, and God is with us’: Christmas spirit shines in Pakistan despite
church bombing
