Pakistan: Another Church Attacked
Apr 11 2006
Postings >> Pakistan

Yet another church in Pakistan has been attacked, bringing the total to five in the last two months.

Church leaders have appealed for greater security for Pakistani Christians after a mob set fire to a church in the village of Mian Channu in Punjab, some 100km east of Multan, on the night of March 30. Local residents quickly extinguished the fire but some of the church furnishings were destroyed, according to The Voice of the Martyrs Canada.

Although no-one was injured, the church pastor, Rev Nathaniel Barkat, said his congregation were 'shaken' by the attack. Local police have said that they believe the motive might have been an attempt by Islamist militants to stir up conflict between Christians and Muslims in the area.

Ejaz Ghauri, chairman of the Human Development Network, condemned the attack and accused the authorities of not intervening sufficiently to protect minorities from religious violence.

In February and March this year, attacks were made on churches in the following areas: Kanwanlit, Punjab province; Sukkur in Sindh province; and Sarghoda in Punjab. AsiaNews reports that a well-known Christian singer A. Nayyar was recently attacked in Lahore and forced to recite the Salama-Tayyaba, the Islamic profession of faith.

• Pray for the congregations of the five churches attacked in recent months. Pray that they will not allow fear or the desire for retribution to overtake them.
• Pray that the Pakistani government would heed calls for greater protection for Pakistan's religious minorities, including Christians.