News from the Ground

Here is some a recent letter from Shahzad Francis a brother from Khanewal (Sic): Violence against Christians in Pakistan continues: Despite the three major attacks on the Christians populations in last two months the government has failed to protect the minorities especially Christians in Pakistan. The Christians are still waiting for the justice in the cases of Bahmani Wala, Kasur (June 30), Koriyan village (July 31) and Christian Town Gojra (August 1) and the fundamentalists attacked another Christian population Jethay Ki (Sambrial) District Sialkot on September 11, 2009. The allegation on a Christian boy Robert son of Riasat Masih became the reason for burning the Church building and damaging the two houses in this village where 35 Christian families are residing. The local Muslims were enraged on the alleged desecration of Quran by Robert. According to our volunteers in the area, this Christian boy had a love with a Muslim girl and the Muslims took revenge of this love affair from the whole Christian community and the Church building. The harassment caused to the innocent Christian families (35 in number) resulted in their displacement from their homes and many of them were stuck to the homes. The police and rangers have been deployed in the area and local administration was all present in the village. The fourth major incident of attack on the Christian population and church in last two months show that government is not paying any attention to take preventive measures to provide protection to the Christians in the country. There is a need to build pressure on the government to take the matter seriously. The provision of compensation after the incident is a futile exercise when the incidents are happening one after the other. I despair when I think of the trauma and suffereing innocent vulnerable Christians are going through. However, I beleive the unity we are showing will increase the more turbulent the situation gets and hopefully together we will overcome. "This is the Year of the Lords Favour" Isaiah 61