Population:
219.9 million
Evangelical population:
0.7%
People groups:
512
Unreached people groups:
504
Pakistan
Nearly twice the size of California, Pakistan is located between India, Afghanistan, China, and Iran. Its climate ranges from hot and dry to arctic in the northern highlands. The country is home of a 62-mile long glacier system, the largest outside the north and south poles.
Formerly a part of British-controlled India, it separated in 1947. With a 1973 constitution stating that all laws are to conform to Islam as outlined in the Koran and Sunnah (sayings and deeds of Muhammad), the state religion in Pakistan is Sunni Islam. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the constitution, but longstanding discrimination and persecution against Christians has intensified in recent years as Islamic extremism has spread. The population is 96 percent Muslim, 1.85 percent Hindu and 1.5 percent Christian, among other tiny religious minorities. Pakistan has the second-largest number of Muslims in the world after Indonesia.
Urdu and English are the official languages, with Urdu a symbol of national, Islamic unity and English used primarily in business, government and legal matters. More than 75 percent of Pakistanis understand Urdu, but more than 60 languages are spoken in the country. The major ethnic groups are the Punjabis (44.7 percent), Pashtuns (15.4 percent), Sindhis (14.1 percent), Saraikis (8.4 percent) and Muhajirs (7.6 percent).
Longstanding political disputes and lack of foreign investment has led to the underdevelopment of Pakistan. Lack of economic opportunity contributes to widespread poverty. A large portion of the population does not have access to clean water or education.
Of the hundreds of indigenous missionaries bringing the gospel to remote areas where Christ’s name is unknown, many of them have no means of supporting their families and work by faith that the worldwide Body of Christ will support them. Devoting all their time to evangelism, discipleship and church-planting, local missionaries have established fellowships in every major city and numerous towns and villages. Thousands of communities remain unreached, however, and workers request assistance for evangelistic outreaches, distribution of gospel literature and construction of church buildings.
Multiple ministries have undertaken the challenge of meeting the need for trained church leaders. They need support for training programs to equip missionaries to teach Sunday schools, work with teenagers, adults, youth and families, lead women’s groups and plant and pastor congregations. Most of these ministries train about 100 full-time or part-time workers each year; one Bible correspondence school trains 3,000 per year.
Sources: Joshua Project, Wikipedia, CIA World Factbook
How to Pray for Pakistan
- Pray for provision, courage, and wisdom for local missionaries and church leaders as they share the gospel.
- Pray missionaries, their families and those the are serving will be protected from poverty and disease.
- Pray the spread of the kingdom of God would transform communities into holy beacons of light and love.
More stories from Pakistan
Enslaved and Overlooked: Pakistan’s Brick Kiln Workers
White smokestacks mar an otherwise cloudless desert sky, their toxic fumes not only a by-product of the more than 20,000 brick kilns that exist across Pakistan, but also a sinister warning to the 4.5 million people enslaved there: You cannot pass beyond our bounds.
Support Evangelism Opportunities in Pakistan
A man who attended camps organized by a native ministry recently chose to put his faith in Christ. Later, ministry workers gave him audio Bibles to distribute to his community, and he has since begun to share the gospel with his family members and other relatives.
Provide Christian Resources To New Believers in Pakistan
Native missionaries distributed audio Bibles to 50 illiterate believers in one tribe so they could listen to the word of God. Because the people of this tribe have no access to education, the availability of audio Bibles is a tremendous gift for those who seek to study Scripture. “Praise be to the Lord who uses us for the fulfillment of the Great Commission among the tribes and nations,” the ministry leader said.
Strengthen Persecuted Families in Pakistan
A native ministry provided immediate assistance to Christian families who were attacked by an angry mob and who suddenly found themselves homeless and without any basic necessities for life. The ministry provided cooking and eating supplies and temporary housing and meals, and they also distributed Bibles to those who lost theirs to the mob’s attack.
Provide Native Workers With Outreach Tools in Pakistan
A native ministry has sparked change in a region of Pakistan in which child labor is a normal part of life. Through community outreach such as distributing school supplies to families, ministry workers can now report that 30 children who once worked in the brick kiln factories are now attending school instead.
Transform Lives With The Gospel in Pakistan
A man who considered himself a nominal Christian received a booklet from a local ministry and, as he read, he “gained a profound clarity about the nature of Jesus as the Son of God.” Previously, he struggled with doubts about his faith, particularly regarding Christ as divine, but he found all the answers to his questions within the booklet.