LEAD Ministries Calls on State Institutions to Investigate Graveyard Insecurity, Protect Christian Burial Grounds, Ensure Lawful Access, and Promote Unity Among Christian Communities Across Pakistan
By Sardar Mushtaq Gill
Human Rights Defender and Lawyer
Founder and International Director
of LEAD Ministries
LAHORE, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN — Serious concerns have been
raised over reports of damage to Christian graveyards, alleged encroachments,
obstruction of access roads, and difficulties faced by Christian families
attempting to reach burial grounds in parts of Punjab and elsewhere in Pakistan.
These concerns have prompted renewed calls for urgent government intervention,
effective legal protection, and peaceful collective action to safeguard the
dignity and religious rights of Christian communities.
The protection of burial grounds is
a matter of human dignity, religious freedom, equal citizenship, and respect
for the deceased. Christian families should be able to bury their loved ones,
maintain their graves, and visit their resting places without fear,
intimidation, hazardous conditions, or arbitrary restrictions on access.
LEAD Ministries has called upon the
relevant state institutions, administrative authorities, land-management
departments, and Auqaf authorities to investigate credible complaints, verify
property records, address alleged encroachments, and ensure that lawful access
routes to Christian graveyards are protected or established through appropriate
legal procedures.
Dunyapur Graveyard: Reports of
Damage Require Immediate Investigation
Reports from Dunyapur, District
Lodhran, have raised serious concerns about the alleged nighttime extraction
and sale of sand from a graveyard. According to these reports, large pits have
developed within the burial ground, while additional complaints describe
garbage dumping and the movement of vehicles, motorcycles, and carts through
areas containing graves.
These allegations require prompt
and impartial investigation by the relevant authorities. If the reported
activities are substantiated, those responsible should be held accountable in
accordance with the law.
The authorities should inspect the
site, assess the extent of the reported damage, secure dangerous excavations,
remove accumulated waste, prevent further deterioration, and ensure safe access
for grieving families.
A graveyard is not ordinary land.
It is a place of remembrance, mourning, prayer, and spiritual significance. Any
unlawful activity that damages burial grounds or places visitors at risk must
receive serious attention.
Blocked Access Roads: A Persistent
Concern for Christian Communities
In rural Punjab and other parts of
Pakistan, Christian communities have raised concerns about difficulties
accessing burial grounds when roads are unavailable or blocked, or when access
depends on permission from neighbouring landowners.
In some reported disputes,
Christian graveyards are surrounded by privately owned or occupied land,
leaving families struggling to reach the graves of their relatives. Complaints
have alleged that access across adjoining properties has been refused, creating
distress and uncertainty for affected communities.
Where individual landowners or
occupants are accused of obstructing access, each case must be examined fairly
and on the basis of evidence. The issue must not become a reason to blame an
entire religious community. Responsibility should be established through
impartial investigations, relevant land records, and applicable law.
Nevertheless, legitimate complaints
of unlawful obstruction, discrimination, or misuse of local influence must not
be ignored.
No family should be forced to
depend indefinitely on personal favours merely to visit the resting place of a
loved one when a lawful right of access exists or can be secured through
appropriate legal procedures.
Government and Auqaf Authorities
Urged to Clarify Land Ownership
Particular attention is needed
where Christian burial grounds are situated on government-owned land or land
administered by the relevant Auqaf authority.
The responsible institutions should
verify land ownership, establish official boundaries, examine property records,
and determine whether recognised access routes exist. Where access has been
unlawfully obstructed or burial land has allegedly been occupied without legal
authority, appropriate action should follow.
Where a graveyard lacks a suitable
access road, the authorities should examine lawful and practical options for
establishing a safe, permanent route.
The existence of a burial ground is
not enough if the families it serves cannot reach it. Effective protection must
include both the preservation of the site and practical arrangements for lawful
access.
Phool Nagar Around 2002: The
Importance of Unity and Collective Action
The experience of the Christian
community in Phool Nagar, Tehsil Pattoki, District Kasur, around 2002,
highlights the importance of unity and collective advocacy in addressing
community concerns.
Zulfiqar Masih took a stand
concerning Christian community access despite reported resistance involving
local government officials and influential political figures. The matter
ultimately reached a successful outcome with the support and solidarity of the
wider Christian community.
This experience offers an important
lesson for communities facing similar challenges today: unity, determination,
peaceful advocacy, and sustained engagement with relevant authorities can help
people pursue their legitimate rights.
Christian churches, pastors,
community leaders, youth representatives, and civil society organisations are
encouraged to work together, document their concerns, submit collective
applications, and seek lasting solutions through lawful channels.
Preserving firsthand testimonies
and available records of the Phool Nagar experience would also help ensure that
its history and lessons are accurately documented for future generations.
A Call for Unity, Justice, and
Protection of Christian Graveyards
Christian communities across
Pakistan are urged to stand united in protecting their legitimate rights and
safeguarding their burial grounds. Regardless of denominational differences or
organisational affiliations, churches, community leaders, and civil society
organisations should work together peacefully, document complaints, approach
the relevant authorities, and seek legal assistance where necessary. Unity,
cooperation, and persistent lawful advocacy can help affected families address
blocked access roads, alleged encroachments, and threats to the dignity of
their graveyards.
The relevant state institutions
must investigate reports of damage and obstruction, verify land ownership and
boundaries, protect vulnerable burial grounds, and ensure that lawful access
routes are respected or established through appropriate legal procedures. The
reported situation in Dunyapur and concerns raised by other Christian
communities deserve impartial investigation and timely action. Effective
monitoring, accessible complaint mechanisms, and consultation with affected
families are essential to achieving lasting solutions.
Equal citizenship must include the
right to bury loved ones according to one's faith, maintain burial grounds, and
visit graves without unlawful obstruction or intimidation. Pakistan's
constitutional protections for equality and religious freedom should be
reflected in the everyday lives of Christian citizens. Access to a graveyard
must not depend on political influence, financial resources, or personal
relationships with powerful individuals.
The experience recalled from Phool
Nagar around 2002 serves as a reminder of the importance of courage,
solidarity, and collective action in pursuing legitimate rights. Christian
communities should continue to advocate peacefully and persistently, while state
institutions must fulfil their responsibilities under the law. A graveyard is a
place of remembrance and dignity, not a privilege granted at another person's
discretion. Protecting Christian burial grounds means upholding human dignity,
religious freedom, equal citizenship, and the rule of law, ensuring that every
family can visit the resting place of a loved one with peace and respect.
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