BACA’s first dedicated safe house for persecuted Christians in Pakistan is nearing completion after months of construction.
Designed with security, dignity and comfort at its heart, the confidential refuge will provide temporary protection for Christians and families facing persecution.
Major building and finishing works are now complete, including flooring, painting, electrical installations, bathrooms and the kitchen.
With doors and windows among the final items to be installed, this long-awaited project is approaching the moment when it can begin welcoming those in urgent need.
The Finishing Touches: BACA’s First Pakistan Safe House Almost Complete
The British Asian Christian Association’s first dedicated safe house for persecuted Christians in Pakistan is now nearing completion, bringing us closer to providing a secure refuge for Christians and their families at some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
What began as an ambitious vision has steadily taken shape over many months. Despite delays caused by religious holidays, monsoon rains and the challenges that accompany a major construction project, work has continued and the safe house has now entered its final stage.
For BACA, this is much more than the completion of a building. It represents a significant step forward in our ability to protect vulnerable Christians who may need to leave their homes urgently because of persecution, threats or violence.
Built with security at its heart
Security has been central to the design of the safe house from the beginning.
The building has been constructed with thick double-brick walls to provide additional strength and protection. Multiple security checkpoints have also been incorporated into the property, while plans include secure steel gates and CCTV coverage of the street outside.
For the safety of those who will stay and work there, the location of the safe house will remain strictly confidential and will only be disclosed on a need-to-know basis.
On 21 May, the project architect visited the site to inspect the construction and ensure that the work was being carried out according to the required measures and standards.
From brick walls to a completed structure
The project reached an important milestone in June when work began on the reinforced roof slab.
Following completion of the shuttering, steel reinforcement was installed to strengthen the structure. Electrical conduits and fan boxes were also positioned before concrete was poured.
On 10 June, the reinforced slab was successfully cast, completing the main grey structure of the safe house. The shuttering supports remained in place for nine days to allow the concrete to strengthen before the project moved into its finishing phase.
By the beginning of July, wall plastering had been completed and the walls had been skim-coated with a mixture of white cement and PVA glue to create a smooth surface ready for painting. Sewerage work was also completed, while preparations began for laying the floors.
Overcoming monsoon delays
Pakistan’s monsoon season presented another challenge.
By late July, work on the ceilings was progressing and crushed aggregate had been laid in preparation for the floor tiles. Frequent rain, however, left the floors damp and delayed tile installation.
Rather than rushing the work, the construction team waited for the floors to dry properly so that the tiles could be securely fixed and problems caused by trapped moisture could be avoided.
Despite these delays, steady progress continued.
By 10 August, floor tiles had been installed throughout the property, while the bathrooms had been fitted with decorative tiles, toilets, showers, sinks and other essential fixtures.
Fans and lights had also been installed, and polishing of the floors began to give the completed rooms a clean and welcoming finish.
Creating a refuge with dignity
BACA believes that people escaping persecution should not simply have somewhere secure to sleep. After experiencing fear, uncertainty and, in some cases, the sudden loss of their homes and normal lives, they deserve somewhere that offers dignity and comfort too.
That principle has guided the finishing of the safe house.
By 10 September, polishing of the floor tiles throughout the property had been completed. Painting of the walls and ceilings was also finished, transforming the building into a bright and welcoming space.
The kitchen has now been equipped with its hood and hob, while fans, lighting, bathrooms and other essential facilities are in place.
Doors and windows are among the final elements of the project to be completed.
“This safe house is more than bricks, tiles and walls. It will be a place where Christians escaping persecution can finally close a door behind them and know that, for that moment, they are safe. We want every person who comes here frightened or traumatised to be treated with dignity, compassion and love, and to know that they have not been forgotten.”
Juliet Chowdhry, Trustee, British Asian Christian Association
A long-awaited vision becoming reality
For BACA, reaching this stage is an important milestone.
The safe house will strengthen our ability to respond when persecuted Christians and their families need emergency protection. Instead of relying solely on temporary arrangements, BACA will have a dedicated refuge designed specifically around the security and practical needs of those we support.
Its confidential location will help protect residents, while the facilities inside will give families a place to rest and recover as BACA works with them to determine the safest way forward.
After months of laying bricks, reinforcing concrete, plastering walls, fitting floors and installing essential facilities, an idea that once existed only on paper has become a physical place of refuge.
There is still final work to complete before the safe house can become fully operational, but the finishing line is now in sight.
For Christians forced to flee persecution in Pakistan, we hope that behind these doors they will find something that can be desperately difficult to find in a moment of crisis: safety, dignity and hope.
Help Us Raise the Final £3,500
We are now incredibly close to completing BACA’s first safe house in Pakistan — but we still need your help to make it secure, furnished and ready to receive persecuted Christians and their families.
We urgently need to raise a further £3,500 to pay for the remaining essentials, including doors, furniture and equipment, as well as vital security measures such as biometric access controls and CCTV.
These are not simply finishing touches. For people seeking refuge after threats, violence or persecution, security is fundamental. CCTV and controlled biometric access will help us protect residents, staff and the confidential nature of the safe house, while furniture and essential equipment will turn the completed building into a place where families can actually live, rest and recover.
We have come a long way — from laying the first bricks to completing the roof, floors, bathrooms, kitchen, electrics and decoration. Now we need one final push to get the safe house across the finishing line.
Please help us raise the remaining £3,500.
Every donation, large or small, will bring us closer to opening the doors of this refuge to Christians who may have nowhere else to turn.
Your support can help transform this completed building into a secure and welcoming home for people at their most vulnerable.
Please donate (click here) today and help us make BACA’s first safe house in Pakistan ready for those who need it most.
