A family is facing persecution and financial hardship because authorities are defying a court order to change their religious designation to “Christian” in Pakistan’s national identity database.
Naseem Bibi, formerly of Haveli Lakha in Pakistan’s Punjab Province, discovered in 2016 that her family had mistakenly been registered as Muslims. “Muhammad” also had been added to the names of her three sons, she told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
Check out more stories on the persecuted church.
A civil court directed the National Database and Registration Authority in 2023 to change their identity to Christian and remove Muhammad from the sons’ names, Bibi noted. The second part was completed, but they still are deemed Muslim.
She said officials claim the court directive only covered name removal.
Relocating to Lahore
Because of their quest to be listed as Christian, Bibi said the family has been cautioned that Muslims may consider them apostate. Out of fear, they relocated to Lahore.
The issue with Bibi’s identity also has inhibited her ID card renewal, which adversely affected employment status and wages, Christian Daily-Morning Star reported.
World Watch
Pakistan is No. 8 on Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List of the 50 places most difficult to be a Christian.
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