The total number of Punjabi Christians in Pakistan is approximately 2,800,000 and 300,000 in Indian Punjab. Of these, approximately half are Roman Catholic and half Protestant.
Christians make up the largest religious minority in Pakistan. Most Christians of Pakistan live in Punjab province. The vast majority of the population of the province is Muslim.
The churches in Lahore include Cathedral Church of Resurrection, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore, St. Andrew's Church, Lahore, St. Anthony's Church, Lahore and St. Joseph’s Church, Lahore.
Most Punjabi Christians are converts from the Hindu Churas and Mazhabi Sikh caste to Christianity during the British raj.
The death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the summer of 1839 brought political chaos and the subsequent battles of succession and the bloody infighting between the factions at court weakened the state. Relationships with neighboring British territories then broke down, starting the First Anglo-Sikh War; this led to a British official being resident in Lahore and the annexation of territory south of the Sutlej to British India.
In 1877, on St. Thomas' Day at Westminster Abbey, London, Rev Thomas Valpy French was appointed the first Anglican Bishop of Lahore, a large diocese which included all of the Punjab, then under British colonial rule, and remained so until 1887, during this period he also opened the Divinity College, Lahore in 1870. Rev Thomas Patrick Hughes served as a Church Missionary Society missionary at Peshawar (1864–84), and became an oriental scholar, and compiled a 'Dictionary of Islam' (1885).
Missionaries accompanied the colonising forces from Portugal, France, United States and Great Britain. Christianity was mainly brought by the British rulers of India in the later 18th and 19th century. This is evidenced in cities established by the British, such as the port city of Karachi, where the majestic St. Patrick's Cathedral, Pakistan's largest church stands, and the churches in the city of Rawalpindi, where the British established a major military cantonment.
Many of the modern Punjabi Christians are descended from converts during British rule, however, other modern Punjabi Christians have converted from Churas.
The Churas were largely converted to Christianity in North India during the British raj. The vast majority were converted from the Mazhabi Sikh communities of Punjab, and to a lesser extent Hindu Churas; under the influence of enthusiastic British army officers and Christian missionaries. Consequently, since the independence they are now divided between Pakistani Punjab and Indian Punjab.
Large numbers of Mazhabi Sikhs were also converted in the Moradabad district and the Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh. Rohilkhand saw a mass conversion of its entire population of 4500 Mazhabi Sikhs into the Methodist Church. Sikh organisations became alarmed at the rate of conversions among the Mazhabi Sikhs and responded by immediately dispatching Sikh missionaries to counteract the conversions.
Punjab was included in Pakistan due to Christian Speaker of Punjab Assembly. When the vote for Pakistan was taken in the United Punjab Assembly on 23rd June 1947. The Resolution for Pakistan was short by three votes. Speaker SP Singha urged his Punjabi Christian members to vote for Pakistan, which they willingly did. Even then it was a tied vote. After much though, and tension in the house, Speaker SP Singha voted for Pakistan. The deciding vote was cast. The resolution was passed. Hence West Punjab became the part of Pakistan. 89 votes were casted in favor of Pakistan and 88 votes in favor of Hindustan.
Pakistani Punjab is now over 2% Christian, with very few Hindus left. Punjabi Christians have made some contributions to the Pakistani national life. Pakistan's first non-Muslim Chief Justice of Pakistan Supreme Court was Justice A. R. Cornelius. Punjabi Christians also distinguished themselves as great fighter pilots in the Pakistan Air Force. Notable amongst them are Cecil Chaudhry, Peter O'Reilly and Mervyn L Middlecoat.
Punjabi Christians have also contributed as educationists, doctors, lawyers and businessmen. One of Pakistan's cricketers, Yousuf Youhana, was born Punjabi Christian, but later on converted to Islam, taking the Islamic name Mohammad Yousuf. In Britain, the bishop emeritus of Rochester Michael Nazir-Ali is a Punjabi Christian.
The Punjabi Christians in Pakistan have long been active in various fields of public service. Many Punjabi Christians have served in the Pakistan Armed Forces, civilian services and other organizations. Some have received high civilian and military awards.
Pakistan Air Force.
Air Vice Marshal Allan Perry-Keene (August 15, 1947 – February 17, 1949)
Air Vice Marshal Richard Atcherley (February 18, 1949 – May 6, 1951)
Air Vice Marshal Leslie William Cannon (May 7, 1951 – June 19, 1955)
Air Vice Marshal Arthur McDonald (June 20, 1955 – July 22, 1957)
Air Vice Marshal Eric Gordon Hall (1947-1977)
Air Vice Marshall Michael J. O'Brian
Air Vice Marshal Patrick Desmond Callaghan(1945-1971)
Air Commodore Charles H Zuzarte SBt
Air Commodore Hilary Zuzarte SBt
Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry
Air Commodore Nazir Latif
Wing Commander Mervyn L. Middlecoat
Squadron Leader Peter Christy.
Flight Lieutenant William D. Harney
Pakistan Army.
Major General Julian Peter
Major General Noel Israel Khokhar
Brigadier Samson Simon Sharaf
Brigadier Mervyn Cardoza
Brigadier Daniel Austin
Colonel Azim Ilyas Bruno
Lt.Col. Edmund Peters (1948-1974)
Haroon Javed Masih
Pakistan Navy.
Rear-Admiral Leslie Mungavin
Commander Saleem Akhtar Matthew
P. Officer J D Gill
Christian politicians.
J Salik
Shehbaz Clement Bhatti (Martyr)
Peter John Sahotra (late)
Kamran Michael (Federal Minister)
Nasir William Gill
Akram Masih Gill
George Clement
Dr. Paul Bhatti
Tariq C Qaiser
Khalil Tahir Sindhu
Asiya Nasir
Christians make up the largest religious minority in Pakistan. Most Christians of Pakistan live in Punjab province. The vast majority of the population of the province is Muslim.
The churches in Lahore include Cathedral Church of Resurrection, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore, St. Andrew's Church, Lahore, St. Anthony's Church, Lahore and St. Joseph’s Church, Lahore.
Most Punjabi Christians are converts from the Hindu Churas and Mazhabi Sikh caste to Christianity during the British raj.
The death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the summer of 1839 brought political chaos and the subsequent battles of succession and the bloody infighting between the factions at court weakened the state. Relationships with neighboring British territories then broke down, starting the First Anglo-Sikh War; this led to a British official being resident in Lahore and the annexation of territory south of the Sutlej to British India.
In 1877, on St. Thomas' Day at Westminster Abbey, London, Rev Thomas Valpy French was appointed the first Anglican Bishop of Lahore, a large diocese which included all of the Punjab, then under British colonial rule, and remained so until 1887, during this period he also opened the Divinity College, Lahore in 1870. Rev Thomas Patrick Hughes served as a Church Missionary Society missionary at Peshawar (1864–84), and became an oriental scholar, and compiled a 'Dictionary of Islam' (1885).
Missionaries accompanied the colonising forces from Portugal, France, United States and Great Britain. Christianity was mainly brought by the British rulers of India in the later 18th and 19th century. This is evidenced in cities established by the British, such as the port city of Karachi, where the majestic St. Patrick's Cathedral, Pakistan's largest church stands, and the churches in the city of Rawalpindi, where the British established a major military cantonment.
Many of the modern Punjabi Christians are descended from converts during British rule, however, other modern Punjabi Christians have converted from Churas.
The Churas were largely converted to Christianity in North India during the British raj. The vast majority were converted from the Mazhabi Sikh communities of Punjab, and to a lesser extent Hindu Churas; under the influence of enthusiastic British army officers and Christian missionaries. Consequently, since the independence they are now divided between Pakistani Punjab and Indian Punjab.
Large numbers of Mazhabi Sikhs were also converted in the Moradabad district and the Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh. Rohilkhand saw a mass conversion of its entire population of 4500 Mazhabi Sikhs into the Methodist Church. Sikh organisations became alarmed at the rate of conversions among the Mazhabi Sikhs and responded by immediately dispatching Sikh missionaries to counteract the conversions.
Punjab was included in Pakistan due to Christian Speaker of Punjab Assembly. When the vote for Pakistan was taken in the United Punjab Assembly on 23rd June 1947. The Resolution for Pakistan was short by three votes. Speaker SP Singha urged his Punjabi Christian members to vote for Pakistan, which they willingly did. Even then it was a tied vote. After much though, and tension in the house, Speaker SP Singha voted for Pakistan. The deciding vote was cast. The resolution was passed. Hence West Punjab became the part of Pakistan. 89 votes were casted in favor of Pakistan and 88 votes in favor of Hindustan.
Pakistani Punjab is now over 2% Christian, with very few Hindus left. Punjabi Christians have made some contributions to the Pakistani national life. Pakistan's first non-Muslim Chief Justice of Pakistan Supreme Court was Justice A. R. Cornelius. Punjabi Christians also distinguished themselves as great fighter pilots in the Pakistan Air Force. Notable amongst them are Cecil Chaudhry, Peter O'Reilly and Mervyn L Middlecoat.
Punjabi Christians have also contributed as educationists, doctors, lawyers and businessmen. One of Pakistan's cricketers, Yousuf Youhana, was born Punjabi Christian, but later on converted to Islam, taking the Islamic name Mohammad Yousuf. In Britain, the bishop emeritus of Rochester Michael Nazir-Ali is a Punjabi Christian.
The Punjabi Christians in Pakistan have long been active in various fields of public service. Many Punjabi Christians have served in the Pakistan Armed Forces, civilian services and other organizations. Some have received high civilian and military awards.
Pakistan Air Force.
Air Vice Marshal Allan Perry-Keene (August 15, 1947 – February 17, 1949)
Air Vice Marshal Richard Atcherley (February 18, 1949 – May 6, 1951)
Air Vice Marshal Leslie William Cannon (May 7, 1951 – June 19, 1955)
Air Vice Marshal Arthur McDonald (June 20, 1955 – July 22, 1957)
Air Vice Marshal Eric Gordon Hall (1947-1977)
Air Vice Marshall Michael J. O'Brian
Air Vice Marshal Patrick Desmond Callaghan(1945-1971)
Air Commodore Charles H Zuzarte SBt
Air Commodore Hilary Zuzarte SBt
Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry
Air Commodore Nazir Latif
Wing Commander Mervyn L. Middlecoat
Squadron Leader Peter Christy.
Flight Lieutenant William D. Harney
Pakistan Army.
Major General Julian Peter
Major General Noel Israel Khokhar
Brigadier Samson Simon Sharaf
Brigadier Mervyn Cardoza
Brigadier Daniel Austin
Colonel Azim Ilyas Bruno
Lt.Col. Edmund Peters (1948-1974)
Haroon Javed Masih
Pakistan Navy.
Rear-Admiral Leslie Mungavin
Commander Saleem Akhtar Matthew
P. Officer J D Gill
Christian politicians.
J Salik
Shehbaz Clement Bhatti (Martyr)
Peter John Sahotra (late)
Kamran Michael (Federal Minister)
Nasir William Gill
Akram Masih Gill
George Clement
Dr. Paul Bhatti
Tariq C Qaiser
Khalil Tahir Sindhu
Asiya Nasir
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