On March 23rd of 2025, the Texas House of Representatives recognized “Pakistan Day” in the State of Texas. They did not call it “Pakistani Heritage Day” or “Pakistani Americans in Texas Day.” They called it “Pakistan Day,” celebrating the nation itself. Texas is among the most overtly Christian states in the nation. And Pakistan is one of the most hostile places to Christianity in all the world. Why did the Texas House of Representatives choose to honor the nation of Pakistan?
In an article for the Gatestone Institute, Turkish journalist Uzay Bulut put in stark terms the contrast between the observance in Texas and the reality in Pakistan. “At the same time as Texas was celebrating ‘Pakistan Day,’” she wrote, “in Pakistan, Christian citizens were being arrested and sentenced to death for ‘blasphemy,’ and Muslims were abducting young Christian girls to sexually abuse, forcibly ‘marry,’ and coerce into converting to Islam. Pakistan’s national and provincial parliaments have given their consent to these atrocities.”
Christians come close to breaking Pakistan’s blasphemy laws simply by existing. A vague accusation of blasphemy against Islam or its prophet can result in imprisonment or even death. Telling others about the Gospel has been called blasphemy. Why would Texas honor the persecution and murder of Pakistani Christians?
The resolution was introduced by Representative Suleman Lalani, a native of Pakistan. Only New York has more Pakastani-Americans than Texas. The state’s “Pakistan Day” resolution put the total number at 80,000 — more than double California, the state with the third largest Pakistani population. That’s a significant number of people, and I can understand Texas politicians wanting to cater to them. But at what cost?
You may have heard of the Pakistani “grooming gangs” scandal in Britain. Others call them what they really are — “rape gangs.” As bad as it has been in Britain, things have been far worse in Pakistan itself. Pedophilia, forced marriage, and forced conversion of young Christians to Islam are widespread. Stolen and abused girls have been as young as seven.
According to a report by the Movement for Solidarity and Peace in Pakistan, at least a thousand Christian and Hindu women are forced to convert and marry Muslim men in Pakistan every year. The report then states, “The true scale of the problem is likely to be much greater, as a number of cases are never reported or do not progress through the law-enforcement and legal systems.”
There are over 4 million Christians in Pakistan, but that’s less than 2% of the overall population. According to the human rights organization, Open Doors, “Occupations that are deemed low, dirty, and degrading — such as cleaning sewers or working in brick kilns — are reserved for Christians by the authorities. Many believers are referred to as ‘chura’, a derogatory term meaning ‘filthy’. Christians are also vulnerable to being trapped in bonded labor.”
Jesus warned that Christians would face persecution and that it would increase in the last days. Still, for most of us, it’s surprising to see the State of Texas celebrating our persecutors. The nation of Pakistan repeatedly refuses to make forced conversion illegal. To honor such a nation is an insult to Christians and all those who hold liberty dear.
State Representative Joanne Shofner and a few others voted “no” on the resolution. She gave a brief, but profound reason for her no vote to the Texas House Journal. She said, “I support the persecuted Christians of Pakistan.” So should we all.
