Asia Bibi & UK Aid to Pakistan

I was delighted this week to learn of the release of Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian woman who was delivered from death row. She was charged with insulting the Islamic prophet after she drank from a cup of water before passing it to Muslim fellow farm labourers. For a dirty Christian to dare to share a cup with Muslims, trumped-up charges were brought, and she spent eight years in prison awaiting the death penalty.

Having been released, the country was brought to a standstill by angry protestors, burning cars and lorries. Treatment of Christians in Pakistan is disgraceful. According to the Department of International Development, the British taxpayer sent this country £463 million in 2017 (or 1.2 million every day). This is despite the fact it has its own nuclear weapons and space programme. It is about time we started making this generosity dependent on human rights and religious freedom. That I pay tax each month for it to be handed over to the Pakistani authorities, so they can fund the oppression of Christians, is galling.

Photo: Citizen Go