From the Revd Dr David L. Gosling
Sir, - I appreciated your upbeat account of the Archbishop of
Canterbury's brief visit to Pakistan (News, 6
June). But I wish there had been more emphasis on the Church's
educational resources, such as Forman Christian College (where
General Musharraf was a student), or Kinneard College for Women,
both in Lahore. There were no references to Roman Catholics, and of
the four constituent members of the United Church of Pakistan,
Anglicans predominated.
The lack of prominence given to education is unfortunate,
because I believe that this is the most effective response to the
horrific incidents noted in your article. Taken in isolation these
may be no worse than, say, the mass shootings carried out in
certain Western schools; but there is in addition a pervasive
undercurrent of hostility to minorities in Pakistan - including
minorities within Islam - which is not to be found in many other
places.
When, however, young people from majority and minority
communities learn together in the schools and colleges, in many
cases founded by Christians, then mutual understanding can overcome
the fanaticism and extremism currently so visible in the press. I
believe that it is here that the Pakistani Churches must
concentrate their efforts.
DAVID L. GOSLING
(former Principal of Edwardes College, Peshawar)
2 St Luke's Mews, Searle Street
Cambridge CB4 3DF