Pakistani Christian at Paralympics

Naeem Masih

He is 25 years old from Karachi and is the only Pakistani Christian who is part of the team sent from Islamabad to the London Paralympics: Naeem Masih wanted to play cricket but, having lost his hand in an accident, dedicated himself to the middle distance race. He proudly took part in the 1500m race on the athletics track in London this week .His performance, his presence at the Paralympic was a great event and are a positive sign for Pakistan,

The fact that he came 16th out of 17 competitors in the heat he ran without qualifying for the next stage, does not matter. His performance, his presence at the Paralympic was a great event and are a positive sign for Pakistan, Professor Mobeen Shahid, Pakistani, professor at the Pontifical Lateran University said.

"The presence of Naeem Masih means that the state considers religious minorities as an integral part of the nation, as minorities have always considered themselves. It is a sign of equal opportunity and absence of discrimination, it is a way to involve the youth of minorities in the spirit and in the activities of the nation," he said.

While international attention is magnetized by the case of the Catholic girl Rimsha Masih, accused of blasphemy, Naeem Masih's experience offers a sign of hope.

Meanwhile, on the initiative of the parliamentary Catholic Akram Gill, Deputy Minister for National Harmony, the ruling Pakistan People's Party, has presented a bill to increase the representation of religious minorities in proportion to their demographic consistency, both in the national and provincial parliaments.

Source: Fides