Pakistani Christians protest travel ban to Israel

Demonstration organizers say travel ban infringes their rights to perform pilgrimage to Jerusalem, other Christian holy sites in Israel.

By JEREMY SHARON
Chrisitian demonstrators in Pakistan seek permission to visit Israel. (photo credit: FACEBOOK PAGE OF GOD'S PEOPLE FELLOWSHIP OF PAKISTAN)
Chrisitian demonstrators in Pakistan seek permission to visit Israel.
(photo credit: FACEBOOK PAGE OF GOD'S PEOPLE FELLOWSHIP OF PAKISTAN)
Pakistani Christians held a demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club in the city of Karachi on Wednesday to demand that they be allowed to visit Israel.
Israel has no formal diplomatic relations with Pakistan, and Pakistani passports state explicitly that they are valid for all countries except Israel.
The God’s Peoples Fellowship of Pakistan (GPFP) which organized the protest says that the travel ban infringes their rights to perform pilgrimage to Jerusalem and other Christian holy sites in Israel.
According to a statement from the GPFP, participants in the protest held up banners and placards at the rally including messages such as the verse from Psalms "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” “Israel you are light to the nations,” “Recognize the Jewish state of Israel", and the Biblical verse “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent.”