Pakistan’s war on drugs has taken a sinister turn in Punjab, with Christian leaders in Faisalabad raising alarms over fabricated cases aimed at their community. What began as routine anti-narcotics operations has morphed into alleged persecution, with police allegedly staging evidence to implicate innocent Christians in heroin, charas, and methamphetamine trafficking.
At a fiery press conference, Minority Rights Movement chief Lala Robin Daniel laid bare the strategy: ‘Our people hold valid alcohol licenses, yet they’re slapped with hard drug charges under Section 9(c). This is a blatant abuse of power.’ Over the last 60 days, dozens of Christians have been ensnared in these probes, their lives upended by arrests based on what leaders decry as sham intelligence.
Social media amplifies the damage, with viral posts branding Christian areas as drug dens, fueling public bias. Leaders stressed that while they support genuine anti-drug efforts, this ‘targeted narrative’ vilifies an entire minority group, many of whom are poor laborers in factories and farms.
The controversy spotlights deeper issues: minorities’ legal rights to alcohol under Pakistani statutes are being ignored, with wine shops raided as if peddling narcotics. Daniel accused police of padding stats to meet quotas, urging provincial authorities to audit cases and enforce fairness.
As reports gain traction, calls grow for judicial probes and minority safeguards. This incident underscores Pakistan’s challenges in balancing security drives with human rights, where vulnerable groups bear the brunt. Christian advocates remain resolute, vowing sustained protests until justice prevails.