Pakistan: Protests in Punjab Against Demolition of Church
Aug 15 2006
Postings >> Pakistan

Christians have taken to the streets of Punjab to protest against what they see as the 'illegal' demolition of a church in Multan.

On August 3, a company called Pak-Arab Fertilizers sent in a demolition team to destroy a Protestant church. According to AsiaNews, the church was built on the firm's land -- land which, the company reportedly said, was needed to 'allow the industry to expand'.

The demolition provoked uproar among local Christians. Some 150 protestors blocked the Multan-Lahore road for two hours and demanded a judicial inquiry.

Shahbaz Bhatti, chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, immediately condemned the demolition as 'brutal'. He noted that a mosque standing close to the church was not even touched. The company retorted that there was no 'religious motive' behind the move.

The community had reportedly been given advance notice that the church would be demolished. Mr Bhatti said that an injunction to halt the demolition was being sought through the courts -- but, he claimed, the company had gone ahead regardless.

Local church leader Yaqoob Masih told AsiaNews that the factory firm was now offering the Christian community compensation: 'We don't need money, we only need our church.'

• Pray that this congregation in Multan will be given a new spiritual home.
• Pray that the local authorities would intervene to defend the rights of this church even though Christians are a minority group and treated as second-class citizens.