A local member of a minority religious group told reporters on Monday that he was not facing any violence, hatred, ridicule or discrimination in Pakistan. “I have been openly non-Muslim for many years and have been freely living, working, and having an opinion in this society of my own free will,” he said while addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club. “The generous people of this country have always tolerated me,” he said, “and in my entire life I have not been killed even once.”
The revelation has created a new controversy in the bitterly divided Pakistani society. While some believe that the man and his life story should be promoted because it could help create a soft image of Pakistan internationally, others have concerns that the man may be lying and that his statement is nothing more than a publicity stunt. “This may be a part of a conspiracy if we look at it in the larger geopolitical context of the 2014 withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan,” a security analyst said.  But the man insists he is telling the truth.
“I have to deal with a large number of people on a daily basis, because of the nature of my job and because of my mainstream lifestyle,” he said. “Many of them know that I am a non-Muslim, but they have never ever ambushed me on my way to work and killed me along with my driver.”
At occasions, he claims he has also been in close proximity with people with knives or other sharp-edged weapons, but none of them has attempted to decapitate him, parade his head around or leave a note on his body calling him an American spy. “In fact, none of them has ever even tried to slash my throat in a more general manner, or to stab me and run away,” he said while talking to this scribe at his residence in the outskirts of the city.  
“Look at this home and its location. This is prime property. Anybody could kill for this,” he said while showing a team of local and foreign journalists around. “Despite knowing that, most property dealers in this area have never thought of conspiring to entrap me in a false blasphemy case and take over my property.” A law expert confirmed that it was legal for non-Muslims to own property in Pakistan.
The house is surrounded by several others that are also owned by members of minority religious groups. Several of his non-Muslim neighbors have corroborated his statements. “We have lived in peace in this neighborhood for so many years,” said a housewife. “Our kids play outside and go to local schools. There has not been even a single incident of some cleric inciting a mob to attack this neighborhood and burn down all our homes. That leaves no possibility of any of us having been burnt alive during the riot. All our belongings are therefore also intact and we are in complete possession of our life savings.”
People of the area confirmed that the children of the minority group were allowed to use the same recreational equipment in the local park as Muslim children. On their way back home in the evening, they have never been stopped from drinking water from the same tap as everybody else. “We are very happy here,” one child said. “Other children treat us fairly, and never call us any derogatory names associated with our religion. They have never been told ridiculous stories about our faith by their parents that they would repeat in front of us.”
Adult members of the community have also been freely allowed to visit a local restaurant, where they eat and drink in the same cups and plates as normal people, it has been learnt. On rare occasions, they have also been allowed to have an opinion during the conversations that take place in the restaurant. “They are our brothers. We have a lot in common with them. They are free to have opinions as long as they are in accordance with our own,” said a man locally famous for participating in lively, energetic, incoherent and emotional grassroots political debates. “We have also provided them a safe place where they can discuss and practice their own beliefs,” he added.
Sources confirmed that the community’s local worship place has never been burnt down during anti-US protests, and despite announcing that it was permissible in Islamic law the Taliban have never launched any gun or bomb attacks on the place of worship. “We worship without fear in this building,” the man said. “We have never been forced to see our loved ones lying dead in a pool of blood in its courtyard, with their body parts scattered around.”

The author has a degree in Poetics of Prophetic Discourse and works as a Senior Paradigm Officer.

Email:harris@nyu.edu

Tweets:@cyborgasms