The Christian community in Karachi faced a shocking incident of discrimination during Christmas, a time of cheer and celebration when two bakeries in the city refused to write Merry Christmas.

This comes shortly after the mob lynching of a Sri Lankan manager working in a factory in Sialkot over alleged blasphemy. Though the two incidents are different in nature, they provide an insight into how society is becoming increasingly radicalised.

The issue came under spotlight after a girl reported against a particular branch of a bakery in Karachi where they refused towrite ‘Merry Christmas’ on the cake. It later turned out that all branches of the business across Karachi have been behaving in the same way towards their Christian customers.

The issue immediately became a trending topic on social media. Another popular bakery was then reported for similar discriminatory behaviour.

On the Christmas Eve, the prime minister and the president issued official messages to felicitate the Christian community. Meanwhile, Qibla Ayaz, chairperson of the Council of Islamic Ideology, was seen clarifying on electronic media during an interview that there was no harm in wishing people a Merry Christmas.

He emphasised that the Christian community has made an equal contribution to the development of the country and pointed out how ridiculous it would be to stop anyone from celebrating their holy occasions.

Ayaz said that Christmas in particular was about Prophet Essa (peace be upon him), who is also part of Muslim faith so that his birthday is a day of celebration for Muslims.

“The constitution promises religious freedom to all the communities living here. It also ensures equal rights for citizens without any discrimination”, says Anis Haroon, a member of the National Commission for Human Rights Pakistan.

Haroon adds that it is an unfortunate case of violation of fundamental rights of a citizen, that too on the occasion of a holy festival.

She says the incident have exposed the society’s intolerance towards people who are also equal citizens of the country. The only way to get rid of such behaviours is for the society and the state is to decide to call out people for their lack of tolerance everywhere in the country.

Muslim communities, she says, are spread across the world. Imagine Muslims living in Christian majority countries being denied similar services for Eid and other festivals, she says.

Haroon says the state should not ignore the incident. It must take action in accordance with law to ensure that people are not discriminated against in the future.

Imaan Zainab Mazari, a lawyer, says that before the question of legal action arises, the primary responsibility for course correction lies with the state.

Mazari remarks that such discrimination hasn’t emerged suddenly. She says it has been cultivated by a mullah-military alliance. What is required first and foremost, she says, is a changing of such misguided mindsets.

“With respect to legal action, there are routes available to persons under law. The state’s responsibility comes in essentially with respect to police responsiveness, access to justice through courts and tribunals etc”, says Mazari.

Mazari says the society doesn’t seem to have taken meaningful lessons from the Sialkot tragedy. She also recounts Mashal Khan’s murder that seems to have been forgotten. Countless others, she says, have been brutally murdered in the name of religion.

Zubair Ahmed, another lawyer, says that apart from human rights violation, this is a violation of consumer’s rights. He says legal action can be taken against the bakeries involved under the Sindh Consumer Protection Act, 2014

Surendar Valasai, the special assistant to Sindh chief minister for human rights, tells The Newson Sunday (TNS) that the Human Rights Department has been instructed to write a letter to the commissioner of Karachi for action against the perpetrators as per law.

Valasai reiterates that the PPP government is against discrimination in any form and manifestation. The PPP, he says, believes in equality. He says the party has been working against discrimination as the constitution bars inequality, untouchability and discrimination.

Pastor Ghazala Shafiq says that there were several incidents of discrimination against religious minorities this year. She says a senior pastor, Amjad Farooq, himself went to one of the bakeries to check on these complains. The bakery staff, she says, initially said they were short of icing cream. Later, she said, the cream was provided but they said the worker who was supposed to do the icing was not available. Later still, she says, the sales people admitted that they were not allowed to provide a cake with such icing.

She says that another Christian lady was denied cake at a bakery in Clifton and was asked to leave when she insisted on the ‘Merry Christmas’ icing.

She adds that a denim clothing factory in Korangi had expelled five of its 25 Christian workers for wishing Merry Christmas.

“Some maulvis here are telling people that wishing Merry Christmas to somebody is a serious deviation that can cause their expulsion from Muslim faith as a result of which their marriages become void. However, there are other Muslim clerics who visit our churches during Christmas and celebrate the holy festival with us,” Shafiq adds.

She says that the Christian community is still in a shock at what happened to a fellow community member in Sialkot. Such said being treated as a lesser citizen was hurtful.

“We have decided that the community will boycott these bakeries”, she says.

In terms of legal action, Shafiq adds that the community’s special prayers will end on January 1. “After that we will sit together to discuss our legal options and decide what action to take. We will not let this happen to our community in future. We are the equal citizens of this country,” she says.

The writer is a Karachi-based journalist who covers politics, human rights and   environment. He tweets at @sheharyaralii