The Talibanization of Karachi

In every area of Pakistan, extremist groups are increasingly gaining influence, and the general public mood is increasingly headed in their direction.  It is harder and harder to distinguish extremists from general society, and whereas before, many attacks on Christians were largely to be laid at the door of extremists, more and more they are being done by ordinary Pakistani citizens.

Lawless Karachi is a case in point, with the Taliban gaining more and more control in this, Pakistan's largest city and major port.  As well as the many and continuing attacks on the Christian slum Essa Nagri which we reported on last year, there was another attack that killed two Christians who had the misfortune to be crossing the road when some gangsters from one of the political parties where protesting about the targeted killing of one of their own members.  As well as Taliban controlling some areas of Karachi, there are repeated assassinations and gun fights between the enforcers of various political parties, with the police either caught in the middle, or police stations taking the side of one particular political party or another.  

There have been at least 2000 such killings in 2012, and over 100 in the first few weeks of this year.  

Source

Christian murdered for refusing to convert

Younas Masih, a 55 year old Christian man in Balochistan province had been repeatedly pressed to convert to Islam by work colleagues, including blackmail attempts.  On 1st February there was another attempt at converting him, and once again he refused, and his co-workers issued insults and threats.  As he was walking home from work in Charman, (a town right on the border with Afghanistan, on the Quetta to Kandahar road) he was shot five times by a gunman and left for dead.  He was taken to hospital where the bullets were removed, but he died in Intensive care 5 days later on 5th February.  

What made things even more devastating for the family is that the police refused to file a report on the attack and murder

Sources 1 , 2,

Redbridge Resurrection Walk of Faith and Easter Day Outreach Concert 2013

The BPCA is proud to announce that we will be organising the first ever Redbridge Resurrection Walk of Faith and Easter Outreach Concert.  The Event details are as follows:

Date:               31st March 2013 (Easter Day)
Time:              14:00 procession to set off from Cranbrook Bpatist Church
Time:              15:00 United Churches of Ilford Outreach and Praise Concert
Venue:            Ilford Town Centre (Town Hall steps for Concert)
Activities:       Facepainting, Music, Food stalls, Henna, Childrens Art workshop, Bible debate,  Learn more about Jesus stall, Book stalls, jewellery, Bouncy Castle and much more. 

So par Participating churches include:

City Gates Church
Clementswood Baptist Church
Cranbrook Baptist Church
Eden Christian Centre
Grace Church
Ilford Methodist Church
High Road Baptist Church
Kings Church
Salvation Army Ilford
Ooberfuse a Christian Band of international acclaim will be playing live at our outreach concert.

Although the London Borough of Redbridge has a proud Christian heritage, it has never held an Easter day Celebration.  So we are proud that as a minority community we have been able to be pioneers in establishing a long term legacy for Christians in Redbridge.

This Event itself has been organised in response to several callings from God.  Whilst the BPCA has been felt  led to coordinate an Easter event in the Borough, we have been strengthened in our resolve by similar callings that have been felt by leaders of Eden Church, Grace Church and High Road Baptist Church.  Moreover the support given for the event through other local churches, has cemented our opinion that God's hand is at work. 

Although we are concerned by the reduction in Christians form 50.7% of our borough to 36.8%, the main theme of this years event will be to galvanise unity amongst brethren   It was felt by members of local churches attending the planning meetings for the event that our first priority was to bind together our brethren.  The motto chosen for the event by The Revd Jon Law of Cranbrook Baptist Church is "One Lord, one faith."  This does not mean we will not use the success of this event for outreach.  Quite the contrary we hope through the joy and unity that will be exhibited at this event many will seek to know Christ.

Despite these reductions in members of the church locally, the majority of our historic churches are still in operation today. Moreover, I attend High Road Baptist Church which has an approximate population of 300 members and City gates in Ilford is said to have a congregation of around 700. Ilford Asian Church has close to 30 Asian Christian families, many of whom are Pakistani, so our own community is relatively large in this part of London.  Work must be done to counteract this decline especially as Boroughs such as Newham, Haringey, Brent and Lambeth have shown an increase in followers.  

Christianity has lost 13 percentage points since the 2001 census but still remains the largest religious group in the Country, now at 59% of the population.  42 % of the country no profess to be atheists the largest group increase.  Muslim now make up between 4-5% of the country, although their percentage in Redbridge has almost doubled.

Please pray for a successful event!

The 2011 census shows a decline in the number of Christians in Redbridge:

	2001 Number	2001 %	2011 Number	2011 %
Christian	121,067	50.7%	102,755	36.8%
Buddhist	1,052	0.4%	1,840	0.7%
Hindu	18,661	7.8%	31,699	11.4%
Jewish	14,796	6.2%	10,213	3.7%
Muslim	28,487	11.9%	64,999	23.3%
Sikh	13,022	5.5%	17,377	6.2%
Other religion	1,038	0.4%	1,348	0.5%
No religion	22,952	9.6%	30,691	11.0%
Religion not stated	17,560	7.4%	18,048	6.5%

BPCA report to help Canada save lives - press release

BPCA report to help Canada save lives

A British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA) report has won high praise from Canadian government officials.  The research officials, dealing with asylum cases, were preparing updated country reports concerning Pakistan, reports that will be used as background material when dealing with asylum cases from Pakistan. 

The research unit of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) of Canada approached the BPCA asking for replies to a number of questions, to which the BPCA gave a prompt and full reply.  The IRB officials also stated they used the BPCA submission to the UN Human Rights Council produced earlier in the year.  Along with submissions from other organizations and the officials own research, the BPCA material was heavily used in the three final reports, which will be used by Immigration officials in deciding cases of Pakistani Christians seeking asylum in Canada.  As is also the case in the UK, Pakistani’s form a high proportion of those seeking asylum to escape severe persecution in Pakistan. 

The three IRB reports cover the situation and treatment of Christians generally in Pakistan, the blasphemy laws, and the situation of converts from Islam to Christianity in Pakistan. 

Nasarani Ki Himmet, one of BPCA’s researchers said ‘We were pleased to be able to produce a report with such short notice that the Canadian government found so useful.  BPCA researchers are currently working on a much bigger report that should be out soon covering the situation in Pakistan for all minorities, and which will be a useful resource for governments, universities and NGO’s worldwide’. 

Notes to Editors

The BPCA was founded after a massacre of Christians in and around a town called Gojra in 2009, which included a family burnt alive.  It deals in advocacy work, with a 100% success rate in the asylum appeals it has been involved with, as well as promoting inter-faith harmony among Pakistani’s in the UK, and is starting to also do relief and development work in Pakistan. 

For details of the thank you letter from the Canadian Government, see

http://britishpakistanichristian.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/canadian-government-agency-to-use-bpca.html

To examine the three reports produced, see

http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca:8080/RIR_RDI/RIR_RDI.aspx?id=454349&l=e (Blasphemy laws)

http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca:8080/RIR_RDI/RIR_RDI.aspx?id=454343&l=e   (treatment of converts)

http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca:8080/RIR_RDI/RIR_RDI.aspx?id=454345&l=e  (Christians in Pakistan generally)

3rd March Memorial service press release

On 3^rd March, Pakistani Christians from across London will unite to commemorate the 2^nd anniversary of the martyrdom of Shahbaz Bhatti, the Catholic federal government minister assassinated for his opposition to blasphemy laws and his support for Asia Bibi, the Christian mother of 5 sentenced to death for blasphemy.  The event, under the auspices of the British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA), has drawn support from Pakistani church ministers and congregations across the capital, and is being held at 6pm in St Mary’s Church, Great Ilford.  The local vicar, Father Gareth Thomas, will preside over the service, with at least five Pakistani church ministers also participating.  Music will be provided by the Catholic band Ooberfuse, who have partnered with the BPCA in raising the profile of Pakistani Christians through their songs, including ‘Free Asia now’ and ‘Their Blood cries out’.

BPCA chairman Wilson Chowdhry said :

‘It is great to see a show of unity among Pakistani Christians in our capital.  For all our differences,  we still share the most important thing of all, and that is our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and we can all honour those who hallow his name by laying down their lives after his pattern for the sake of the church, and it is in that spirit that we, along with brothers in faith, and even those from outside the faith who are more than welcome to attend, come together to honour the life and sacrifice of Shahbaz Bhatti.’

(click here for more details)

If you would like to donate to the work of the BPCA please use the following details:

Pay by using the PayPal facility on the top right hand corner of our blog and electronic means of transfer will be initiated when you click donate written in the yellow oval. 

You can also send your contributions by cheque payable to;

British Pakistani Christian Association.

Address : British Pakistani Christian Association

57 Green Lane

Ilford

Essex

IG1 1XG 

Alternatively should you wish you can pay by BACS, direct debit or standing order by paying into the following account details: 

Sort Code: 20-67-90 

Account Number: 63468976

2nd March Protest Press Release

On Saturday 2^nd March, the British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA) will be holding a protest outside the Pakistani Embassy and 10 Downing Street to raise the plight of Christians and other minorities in Pakistan, especially concerning the blasphemy law.  The event is being held in memory of Shahbaz Bhatti, the assassinated Catholic government minister who was slain by Muslim extremists 2 years ago for publicly opposing the blasphemy law and standing up for the rights of minorities. 

The BPCA’s chairman, Wilson Chowdhry said :

‘Once more we are calling on all Christians and other good-hearted people to come and show their trenchant opposition to the oppression and genocide that is ongoing and worsening in Pakistan today.  It isn’t just extremists, but the state and police are also complicit in the systematic suppression of a wide range of minority communities, Christians, Sikhs, Hindu’s, Ahmahdi’s and others.  People may debate whether Pakistan is a terrorist state, but for its minority members it is absolutely and undeniably a terrorist society, and the state is a major part of the problem.’

The event starts off outside the Pakistani Embassy in Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge with a worship service at 11am, and protests 12 noon to 1pm.  After lunch the protest resumes at 2pm outside 10 Downing Street, followed by a 3 hour peace rally and concert in Trafalgar Square at 3pm featuring a number of musicians, as well as speakers of all faiths and creeds, including Imam Hargey of Oxford, Church of England Synod member Allison Ruoff, as well as various human rights groups and a Christian asylum seeker from Pakistan.

(Click here for more information)

2nd March 2013 protest against discrimination and persecution of Pakistani Christians and Trafalgar Square interfaith peace concert

MEP Jean Lambert and Former Bishop of Rochester Dr Michael Nazir Ali at our 2011 Peace Rally.

The BPCA is organising it's next annual protest march against the intolerance and discrimination of Pakistani minorities, and Trafalgar square Shahbaz Bhatti memorial peace concert on 2nd March 2013.

The Blasphemy Laws of Pakistan that have created second class citizenship, for non-Muslims living in Pakistan. Section 295b&c and 298a of the Pakistan Penal Code have frequently been used as a tool to oppress people of faith minorities and to enact retribution for personal vendettas on the vulnerable. Below we list the itinerary:

10:30: Set up to the fore of Pakistan Embassy, Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge (feel free to join us and to assist) 

11:00: 1 hour worship service

12:00: Submission of petition at Pakistan Embassy 

12:00 - 13:00: 30 minutes of political speeches

Break for lunch - petitioners/protestors to make their own way to 10 Downing Street.

14:00: Arrive at 10 Downing Street - 20 minutes of political speeches

14:20: Submission of Petition at 10 Downing Street

14:30: Speakers from attendees (open list)

14:45: Prayer and then initiate march to Trafalgar Square

15:00: 3 hour Trafalgar Square Shahbaz Bhatti Peace Rally and Memorial Concert.

Guests include:

• Michael Scott - First ever Victim of Paksitan's islamized Blasphemy Laws
• Rubab Mehdi Rizvi - Barrister and Former European for the Ministry of Human Rights Pakistan
• Pastor Noble Samuel - Heston Asian United Refirm Church
• Alan Craig - Christian Peoples Alliance
• John Pontifex - Aid to the Church in Need
• Imam Dr Hargey - Oxford Islamic Congregation
• Alison Ruoff Synod Member  for the Church of England
• Dr Martin Stern (Nazi Holocaust Survivor and former Student at Peshawar University)
• Archbishop George Booty - The Communion of Christian Celtic Convergence Churches
• Upkar Rai - British Sikh Council
• Isuru Perera Youth Coordinator Redbridge Bhuddist Centre
• Mathhew Jones - Christian Solidarity Worldwide
• Father Gareth Jones - St Marys Parish Ilford
• John Bosco - Christian Social Link
• Jesbir Singh - Free Sarabjit Singh Campaign
• Ranbir Singh - Hindu Human Rights Group
• Stephen Anjum - Asylum seeker and campaigner for human rights
• Julian Bond - Christian Muslim Forum
• Saleem Dutt - Victim of Shanti Nagar atrocity
• Sayed Ali - Christian Muslim Forum

This year we will also hold a 1 minute silence for Shahbaz Bhatti and hear some testimonial tributes to our former brother.

Please complete a comment if you will be coming to encourage others