About Pakistanis
In 1947, the world changed.
World War II had just ended and with it the end of many European colonial empires. Among them was the famous British Empire, whose financial losses during the war resulted in independence for many of their colonies. As encouraging as this was, the way forward for some was far from easy. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a case in point.
Originally part of the many kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent, the British divided Pakistan from what is now India in August 1947. This was due to the large Muslim population in what is now Pakistan compared to India's large Hindu population.
Because of this division, Islam is deeply intertwined with the foundation and structure of Pakistan. This is best seen at the high percentage of 96.5% of the population that identifies as Muslim.
It also led to an ongoing conflict between Pakistan and India, which continues to this day.
As the years go by, more and more Pakistanis call the Netherlands (and Rotterdam in particular) home. They remain one of the fastest-growing migrant groups in the country and still have a strong presence in our city.
And despite their country's unwavering Islamic background, Christianity persists in small Pakistani communities - even here in Rotterdam! In August 2008, a gathering of 300 Pakistani Christians gathered in Rotterdam to encourage each other, preach the gospel and draw more attention to the presence of Christianity among Pakistanis.
"Pakistan" means "Land of the Spiritually Pure and Beautiful". Let us pray that the Pakistani church (both at home and abroad) will remind those around them that such purity does not come from the work of human hands, but from the grace of Christ - always and everywhere available.