Simple Salvation Church of God
Prayer Request: The Situation with Christians in Pakistan
Subject:
The Situation with Christians in Pakistan (Jun 9, 2011)
Prayer Request:
Here is a report of what happened in Toba Tek Singh, where Pastor Faryad is ministering.
Attack on Christian Settlements at Korian and Gojra, District Toba Tek Singh .Punjab.Pakistan
On the night of 30th July 2009, a mob (about 2000 Muslims) attacked Christian community on the accusation of blasphemy by Mukhtar Masih, Talib Masih and his son Imran Masih of village Korian (7km from Gojra), District Toba Tek Singh. During the violent attack, armed mob torched 57 homes of Christians, looted their belongings and desecrated the churches and religious books. On 31st July 2009, a case had been registered in Saddar Police Station, Gojra u/s 148/149/153-A/295/380/436 PPC 7ATA, against 21 nominated persons and hundreds of unidentified people for burning 57 houses and plundering their belongings.
On 1st August 2009, a mob (about 3500 Muslims) attacked Christian Colony in Gojra city in reaction to alleged desecration of the Holy Quran in Korian Village. They burnt down 68 houses and killed 7 Christians including three women and two children, plundered their belongings and ransacked churches. On 2nd August 2009, a case had been registered in City Police Station, Gojra u/s 302/148, 324/149, 436/295, 380 PPC 7ATA, against 17 nominated persons and 800 unidentified people for burning 68 houses and 7 Christians alive.
Detail:
On 24th July 2009, there was a marriage ceremony (Mehndi Function) of a Christian in village KorianChak 362 J/B, Tehsil Gojra, District Toba Tek Singh in Punjab province. During the ceremony, some children were throwing papers in the air for celebration. Some Muslims accused three Christians Mukhtar Masih, Talib Masih and his son Imran Masih that they had torn down the papers inscribed with Holy Quran verses at a wedding ceremony.
On 25th July 2009, a jury (Muslim and Christian elders) called Talib Masih to offer apology over the incident. The issue was resolved harmoniously by jury members with the apology of Talib Masih over the desecration issue. But in the evening of 30th July 2009 at 6:00 p.m., announcements on loudspeakers from the mosques of Korian and nearby villages started inciting Muslims to attack Christian community for protecting accused of blasphemy. After the announcements, most of Christian families left the area for safety.
At 8:00 p.m., a large Muslim mob assembled, they chanted slogans against Christians and blockedGojra-Faisalabad Road to block the entrance of rescue teams to the village. Armed mob attacked Christian community, burnt down 57 homes of Christians and reduced them to ashes, looted their belongings (cattle, T.V., cycles etc.) and desecrated two churches and religious books.
On 31st July 2009, a case had been registered in Saddar Police Station, Gojra (FIR No: 429, under sections 148/149/153-A/295/380/436 PPC 7ATA) against 21 nominated persons and hundreds of unidentified people, who burnt 57 houses and plundered their belongings.
In the evening of 31st July 2009, Ulema announced from the mosques to observe a strike against the incident of desecration of Quran by Christians, and asked Muslims to assemble together at Malkanwala Chowk in Gojra. On 1st August 2009, at 9:00 a.m. local Muslim Ulema along with Anjuman-e-Tajiran took out a procession against the sacrilegious act and arrived at railway track nearby Christian colony. The protesters started pelting Christians with rocks and set the house of Riaz Masih on fire. Then, Christians pelted Muslims with rocks and opened fires to disperse the enraged Muslim mob and to stop entrance of mob in the Christian locality to avoid the loss of lives and properties, which injured few Muslim protesters. During this incident, many Christian families fled the colony for saving their lives, but some of them locked themselves at their homes.
At 2:00 p.m., some well-armed, well-organized and well-trained masked men (belonging to banned religious organization Sipah-i-Sahaba from Jhang) led the mob. The police failed to control the mob and protesters entered the Christian locality. They attacked Christian colony with machine guns and inflammable chemical. They set ablaze 68 houses of Christians, burnt six Christians alive and killed Hameed Masih with gunshot, looted their belongings (cash, gold jewelry, T.V, air condition, computer etc.) and ransacked two churches.
The dead were identified as Hameed Masih (75) s/o Punno Masih, Akhlas (40) s/o Hameed Masih, Asiya Bibi (22) w/o Mohsin Masih, Asifa Bibi (30) w/o Almas Masih, Umia Bibi (10) d/o Almas Masih, Musa (7) s/o Almas Masih and Parveen Bibi (50) w/o Victor Masih.
On 2nd August 2009, local Christians, relatives of victims from Punjab province, Christian religious & political leaders and human rights activists blocked the Multan-Faisalabad railway track and traffic for several hours from 4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. by placing the coffins of the killed people on the railway track. They protested against attackers and demanded F.I.R against them for brutal killing of Christians and torching of their houses.
The protesters ended the blockade of the railway track only when a case had been registered in City Police Station, Gojra (FIR No: 462, under sections 302/148, 324/149, 436/295, 380 PPC 7ATA) against 17 nominated persons and 800 unidentified people, who burnt 68 houses and killed 7 Christians. Later, final rites of the seven deceased were performed in the Church, Gojra and the bodies were laid to rest in a local cemetery.
Shining for God's glory Ministries help of affected christian.
The Affected people till really look forward for some donations and prayers.
Faryad Younas s/o
Younas Javed
Director
Shining For God's glory Ministries Pakistan
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