Our search of a new home on rent has been started since the passing away of my father. The home where we live, as per my land-owner, he has given it to the running of a school. If I say it like that our search for another home had already started when my father was alive, then it would be much better to retrieve our time spent to search home.
Something strange has started to happen this time in our search for new home. As this time after the death of my father, I quite often accompany my mother to go and see home from inside. As mostly the homes we saw , were not independent meaning someone else is living on 1st or ground floor, and we have to live in available vacant place. As we were about to finalize few homes after liking them, and as morally we had to inform the landowners that we are Christians then just upon knowing this, they said, they won’t have Christian as tenants.
I remember my father struggled with this factor many times when he was alive and was looking for another home. I couldn’t imagine his state of mind that time when he was refused to live in a home, he was ready to pay rent just on the basis of his religion; when now I myself along with my mother has to listen that we can’t have a home, we are ready to pay rent just on the basis of our religion.
My question to most of them who refused us home was,’ Are we Americans or Europeans and not Pakistanis, that we are denied to live in your homes while accepting to pay rent?’ The answer was mostly silence.
Now as we are struggling to find another home, which I hope will soon happen, but I will never forget this imbroglio that how we are abandoned on the basis on our religion in this country. I am not saying that its happening everywhere, but this has happened with me and my family living in Rawalpindi, the twin city of Federal Capital Islamabad.
After finding a new home, the memory of finding a home will always haunt me. At the same time, I am thankful to all my friends and colleagues who have different faith than me, but they are concerned and are always there to help me in my search of new home, with that terse memory I will always cherish this sweet gesture.
Lubna Thomas Benjamin 