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LANDMARK RULINGS IN PAKISTAN AID CHRISTIAN WORKERS

Christian Daily International-Morning Star News – In two landmark rulings, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday (Dec. 9) banned employers from seeking only Christians for sanitation jobs and called for safety measures for sewage cleaners, most of whom are Christian. The IHC, Pakistan’s federal high court, imposed a strict ban on the use of the phrase “Christians only” in advertisements for waste collectors and sweepers and called for comprehensive and urgent safety measures to curb the increasing number of deaths of sewage cleaners. Addressing a broader set of concerns in two petitions jointly filed by the Center for Rule of Law Islamabad (CROLI) and the Pakistan United Christian Movement (PUCM), Islamabad High Court Justice Raja Inam Amin Minhas ruled that the wording “Christians only” is discriminatory and must be replaced with “civilian” in all future job postings. Sanitation work in Pakistan remains deeply stigmatized and is widely viewed as a caste-based occupation tied to religious minorities such as Christians and Hindus.
Noting with concern that more than 70 Christian workers have died since 1988 due to exposure to poisonous gases in sewers, while civil society reports documented at least 10 deaths since 2019, the judge observed in another judgment that sewage workers continue to be exposed to hazardous environments and toxic gases without proper protection. Ministries and departments, instead of acknowledging their responsibility, have attempted to evade accountability by shifting blame to one another, he stated. The court held that the state has a “solemn constitutional obligation to protect the lives, dignity and equality of all citizens, including those performing hazardous work.” The high court directed the federal government to ensure that workers engaged in sewer maintenance are provided with functional protective gear, gas detectors, ventilation arrangements and first-aid facilities. Pakistan, whose population is more than 96 percent Muslim, ranked eighth on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

REACHING THE MUSLIM WORLD FOR CHRIST
Asia (MNN) — What do the people of Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Pakistan have in common? “95% or more are Muslim, and most of those have never heard the Gospel,” shares Bruce Allen* of Forgotten Missionaries International (FMI). Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Pakistan hold a combined population of 580 million people. That means one of every 12 people in the world lives in one of these three countries. Furthermore, two-thirds of the world’s Muslims live in 10 countries: Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Algeria, and Morocco. Simply put, ministries operating in Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Pakistan have a significant opportunity to reach the Muslim world for Christ.
FMI exists to support indigenous pastors in Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Pakistan who are telling unreached people groups about Christ and planting churches in these communities. They empower national missionaries instead of sending missionaries from Western nations. “We find men who are trained, are passionate about God’s Word, and want to reach their own countrymen with the Gospel,” explains Allen. 

UNKNOWN ASSAILANT SHOOTS PASTOR DEAD IN PAKISTAN
Christian Daily International-Morning Star News:- A Pakistani Presbyterian pastor, the Rev. Kamran Salamat of Gujranwala who survived an attack in September,  was about to take his 16-year-old daughter to college on Friday (Dec. 5) when an unidentified motorcyclist opened fire on him with a pistol, hitting him in the right wrist, left ear and lower abdomen., He succumbed to his injuries at the hospital three hours later. The attacker fled the scene unharmed. The brother-in-law of the deceased, Pastor Salman, said that Pastor Salamat was a committed missionary, but he never shared the details of his mission work with his family. The late pastor moved his family to Gujranwala after the shooting in Islamabad and was currently running a sewing centre for poor Christian women. Sources said Pastor Salamat had made several outreaches to lawless tribal regions in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, where he preached the gospel to Afghan and Pakistani Muslim tribesmen. “It’s quite possible that he was martyred due to his missionary work,” a church leader said. “The truth will surface only after the police arrest the assailant.”
Condemning the assassination, the Rev. Reuben Qamar, moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan, demanded a thorough investigation and immediate arrest of the assailants. “We mourn the heinous killing of Pastor Kamran Salamat, a faithful servant of God,” Qamar posted on Facebook. “His death is not only a personal loss but another wound to the Christians in Pakistan. Even in our grief, we remain steadfast in hope, rejoicing in Jesus’ victory over the darkness, sharing peace and love to this hostile world”. 

CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION UNDER THREAT IN AUSTRALIA – A CONCERN FOR CHRISTIANS
Conscientious objection is the simple idea that no one should be forced to take part in a practice they believe is wrong. This is particularly important in the most controversial areas of our society; abortion, euthanasia, and sexuality and gender. The sad reality is that conscientious objection is under constant threat – attacking both individual medical practitioners and faith-based institutions. In just the past few weeks, issues have risen in Victoria, NSW and Northern Territory, which raise great concerns about the direction our governments are taking.
*Despite a strong campaign from faith leaders supported by Freedom for Faith, Susan Carter MLC’s amendment to the NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying Act (VAD) was narrowly defeated. The amendment would have strengthened conscientious objection for faith-based aged care.
*More recently, a threat to individual conscientious objection to abortion has been exposed. Ms Jill Ludford, the Chief Executive of a NSW Local Health District, has told a parliamentary committee that providing ‘termination services’ may be a condition of employment in the NSW health system. Ms Ludford said that government health services had to balance conscientious objections by health practitioners with the rights of women to access services, but was evasive as to whether a new employee would be interrogated about a willingness to perform an abortion, or whether it would be a condition of employment.
*The Northern Territory Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee has released its recommendations on implementing voluntary assisted dying in the Territory. There are some significant concerns in the recommendations, and the recent developments around the NT Anti-Discrimination Act give reason to be concerned that religious freedom will not be fully protected in any VAD legislation.
*Two Victorian political parties and their MPs have released a report on access to abortion, which recommends significantly undermining conscientious objection. One of their recommendations was to remove the ability for faith-based institutions (including hospitals) to choose not to perform abortions in their facilities. However, another recommendation is even more insidious: the recommendation would force all conscientious objectors to register with the government, to be counted and monitored – effectively creating a public list of religious medical practitioners. This report comes just after the VAD Amendment Bill 2025 which requires conscientiously objecting medical practitioners to provide information to patients regarding VAD and compels them to refer patients to another practitioner.
All of these, seriously increase  concern about the trend against conscientious objection in Australia, and the right of Christians to believe and practise what the Bible teaches on these issues.. [Sources: The Daily Declaration and other media outlets.]

DAUGHTER OF HAMAS LEADER SHARES DRAMATIC CHRISTIAN CONVERSION
Juman Al Qawasmi, daughter of one of the founders of the Hamas terrorist group and ex-wife of one of the leaders of the Islamic group Hamas, grew up immersed in a political and religious culture marked by conflict, hatred towards Jews and Christians, and even towards Islamic groups different from her own. During her adolescence and early adulthood, Juman attended an educational program where students were taught that their loyalty should lie with the Hamas cause. According to her, she was taught to view Jews and Christians as enemies and as a religious threat. The turning point in her worldview began after 2007, when Hamas took control of Gaza. In her testimony, she describes how until then Jews and Palestinians lived in peace, but at that time she witnessed acts of violence, even against Palestinians, as the group consolidated its power.
These experiences fuelled a deep unease. Juman began to question not only the doctrine, but also the way her family and her political movement exercised authority. “I wasn’t allowed to ask questions in Islam,” she stated. Between 2012 and 2014, she experienced moments of intense fear. In particular, she recounts that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) warned of an imminent bombing in her neighbourhood; that night, as her family fled, she prayed in a very personal way: “God, if you exist, I want to know you, I want you to save me.” After that plea, Juman recounts a dream she had, in which she saw the face of Jesus, who spoke to her in Arabic: “I am God, Jesus. You are my daughter; do not be afraid.” She had never heard the name ‘Jesus’ before, as in her Muslim context he is known as ‘Isa”, one of the prophets in the Quran, nor had she had any contact with Christians.
Motivated by that experience, she found a Christian website in Arabic, where she read a message that caught her attention: “Love your enemies”. This teaching seemed completely opposite to what she had been taught since childhood; enemies were to be killed, not loved, and that’s what made her realize she was facing a different God than the one she had been taught about in Islam. Through that website, she made contact with other believers, began to read the Bible, and delved deeper into the new faith until finally, she heard the call of Jesus to follow Him, and was converted to Christianity. Today, Juman describes herself as “a daughter of the living God”. [Compiles from the articles in Premier Christian News and Zenit.]

NICARAGUA BANS TOURISTS FROM BRINGING BIBLES INTO THE COUNTRY
Tourists entering Nicaragua are no longer allowed to carry Bibles into the country. The U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reported this month that notices at Tica Bus terminals in Costa Rica, which offer routes to Nicaragua’s capital city of Managua, inform passengers that magazines, newspapers, cameras, and books — including the Bible — are prohibited. News about the ban on Scripture comes as Nicaragua continues its crackdown on religious liberty. Nicaragua has withdrawn from the UN Human Rights Council, after facing condemnation for its “systematic crackdown on human rights, democratic norms, and religious groups”.
The ban on Bibles  follows the Nicaragua government closing 1,500 Non-Profits and Christian Ministries as well as jailing pastors. In December 2023 eleven pastors and ministry leaders were arrested and jailed after holding mass evangelism campaigns to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. In July 2024, they were convicted on money laundering charges, and given prison sentences ranging from 12 to 15 years and a stunning $80 million in fines. They were suddenly released in September, 2024, after worldwide protests, and behind the scenes  negotiations.
Anna Lee Stangl, director of advocacy and Americas team leader for (CSW), is urging Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his regime to lift the ban “immediately”. Stangl added, “We also reiterate our call on the international community to seek creative ways to support and strengthen independent Nicaraguan voices both inside the country and in exile.” The Christian church has been one of the few institutions in Nicaragua to stand against the  government, condemning their closure of Christian organizations and the persecution of Church leaders. [Sources: CBN news and other media outlets.]

– compiled by Guido Kettniss