News Desk
Harderwijk, Netherlands 31 May 2025:
The Pakistani Dutch Christian Community (PDCC) held a significant meeting in Harderwijk to appeal to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) for the reclassification of Pakistani Christians as a high-risk group due to ongoing religious persecution in Pakistan. The meeting, held at Stationslaan 136, brought together asylum seekers, legal experts, human rights advocates, and community leaders to highlight the growing challenges faced under the current Dutch asylum system.
A core committee of ten leaders organized the event: Mr. Watson Gill, Mr. Aneel Naeem, Mr. Anson Sikander, Mr. Azeem Masih, Mr. Emmanuel Gulzar, Pastor Imran Gill, Mr. Moon Samuel, Mr. Shahzad Ghouri, Mr. Shahroze Saleem, and Mr. Tanveer Qurban. Pastor Eric opened the session with a prayer, followed by an overview of the agenda.
Keynote speaker Mr. Thomas Thissen, an expert in asylum law, strongly criticized the IND’s continued rejection of Pakistani Christian asylum cases, calling it “criminal negligence.” He offered free legal assistance and encouraged collective action, including launching a petition and, if necessary, staging a peaceful protest. Prominent human rights advocate Mr. Samuel Pyara was honored for his ongoing efforts in supporting persecuted Christians in Pakistan.
During the Q&A session, participants raised concerns over delayed application processing and the dangers faced in Pakistan, especially under Section 295C of the Penal Code, which targets minorities through blasphemy allegations.
Proposed Action Plan:
Phase 1: Launch an online petition to gather 5,000+ signatures urging IND to reconsider its policy.
Phase 2: Organize a peaceful protest if the petition does not prompt a response.
The meeting concluded with a strong commitment to unity, legal advocacy, and continued efforts to secure fair treatment for Pakistani Christian asylum seekers in the Netherlands.
