Super User
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur
Sheikhupura police this month tortured a young Christian woman into revealing the whereabouts of the legal team helping her family after an influential Muslim family kidnapped her and her sister. Police also helped the Muslim family beat relatives of the Christian woman on court premises and attacked the offices of the organization trying to help her family. The Community Development Initiative (CDI) is an affiliate of the European Centre for Law and Justice. They helped the family negotiate the release of the two Christian sisters and also made efforts for the return of the runaway couple in order to avert religious conflict in the Punjab Province when it was feared inter-religious tensions would put the lives of some 70 Christian families of the area in jeopardy. Pray: for God's protection over the vulnerable and for spiritually inspired hope where there is despair. (Ps,10:17,18) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/article_113622.html
Pakistani police are threatening the father of 18-year-old Waqas Gill, a Christian man whom officers raped, killed and threw into a sewer, according to area Christians. The victim’s father said four Muslim policemen abducted his son without a warrant and without making any charges. Local Christian protestors said Muslim policemen unduly delayed an autopsy to protect fellow officers, on the assumption that Christians were socially and financially weak in the predominantly Sunni Islamic country. An autopsy was eventually undertaken and showed Gill was subjected to sexual assault, tortured, shot dead with police revolver bullets and thrown into a waste drainage line. Sources said at least six other area Christian youths had been similarly killed. Pray: for an end to distorting the law, the corruption of law enforcers and the misuse of religious text to justify acts of extremism. (Ps.19:7-9) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/31466/
Recent days demonstrate a battle for Pakistan’s soul. On Sunday there was a Peace March organised by Imran Khan heading for the home of Qari Hussain (main trainer of suicide bombers) and Baitullah Mehsud (former TTP leader - Pakistan Taliban). The demonstration was in opposition to US drone strikes against Islamic militants in Pakistan's tribal regions. Many see the choice of location communicating another message. Was there support for terrorists being expressed? Or a suggestion that Imran Khan would make peace with militants showing contempt for a 'secular leader'? On October 10th a 14- year-old girl campaigning for the rights of girls to be educated was shot by a militant group. Many are asking what has led to so many being enslaved by such regressive thinking. Many in Pakistan are shocked and doing some soul searching.
Pray: that, as people across the nation pause to look deeply within, many will be challenged to seek the path of true peace. (Deut.4:36a)
More: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\10\17\story_17-10-2012_pg3_4
Mystery surrounds Asia Bibi, who was sentenced to death on November 8 for blasphemy. (See Prayer Alert 4710). The case is receiving conflicting accounts of the ‘facts’ with some sources reporting her being freed by the Pakistani President, but others reporting this is not true. Several sources inside Pakistan claimed Asia Bibi was set free on November 22nd and has now gone into hiding over fears for her safety. The Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement said it ‘welcomes the release of Asia Bibi, the first Christian woman to be sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan.’ But now a respected source close to the case said Bibi has not been pardoned and that her mercy plea has been sent to the Punjab Home Department, which will forward it to the Interior Ministry for onward submission to the Presidency. Pray: for Bibi and her family’s protection and for God to bring His justice into every area of this case. (Ps.12:7)
Following on the heels of the shocking case of Asia Bibi, the 45-year-old Pakistani Christian woman and mother of five who has been sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy, and in whose defence Punjab Governor Salman Taseer lost his life, comes the case of another Christian woman who has been charged with blasphemy under the country’s law that has been condemned around the world. Hardline Muslim clerics and landlords of the village Rana near Wandu, threatened to torch the homes of every Christian in the community and abduct Christian girls over the love affair of a Christian boy and Muslim girl. The situation became horrible for local Christians in Rana village and Wandu village as Muslim clerics and local Muslim landlords started to threaten Christian villagers. They also threatened dire consequences including forcibly evicting the local Christians from the villages; and most terrorizing of all the threats was to abduct Christian girls and rape them. Pray: against the persecution of believers in this community and throughout Pakistan. (Ac.4:29) More: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11030036.htm
Islamic extremists killed Edwin Paul, a Christian lawyer and evangelist, his wife and their five children at their home in north-western Pakistan because he mounted legal challenges against a Muslim charging a Christian exorbitant interest. A Muslim neighbour said that the previous day armed men stopped Paul, took him by the collar and said, 'Leave the town in 24 hours. We know how to throw out Christians; we will not allow even a single Christian to live here. We will hang them all in the streets so that no Christian would ever dare to enter the Hazara land.’ Hazara are settlers to the area from northern Pakistan and they financially support Islamic extremist groups. They are known for charging up to 400 percent interest to Christians. The Paul family had moved to the area in February. Pray: that the Christians in Pakistan would be protected, strengthened and emboldened as they bring about His justice and ask God to remove the spiritual cloud of Islam over the nation. (Is.51:4-6) More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=34336&PN=1&TPN=1
An evangelist is still recovering from burns after six young Muslim men beat him with clubs and belts and set him on fire last month. Area Christians said they found the Rev. Wilson Augustine, aged 26, unconscious with burns on his head, hand and arm on Nov. 22 near the bus stop on the outskirts of Sargodha. Christian elders of nearby villages said that Augustine was distributing pamphlets and proclaiming Christ door-to-door the previous day among Christian families of local villages when the sons of a powerful local land owner saw one of the pamphlets. Augustine later identified the six who attacked him but police decline to name the suspects in the attempted murder. Augustine’s father reported the assault to the local police station, but the registrar was reluctant to file a case against the sons of a wealthy, powerful land owner. Pray: for God to faithfully lead and protect the Christians in Pakistan as they proclaim His name. (Ps.18:30) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/29641/
The chief lawyer defending Christian women who were reportedly sexually abused by activists of Pakistan's ruling party said that Muslim militants have threatened to kill him if he and his legal team continue with this case or others, including attacks on a Christian neighbourhood and rape. Sardar Mushtag Gill, who heads the Legal Evangelical Association Development group said he and a friend were forcibly stopped at gunpoint by three armed men last Sunday when returning from meeting the mistreated women and their family to discuss presenting a petition asking the Pattoki Court to detain the suspects, who have been linked to the governing Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N). He explained that sisters Arshad Bibi, Sajida Bibi and Sauriya Bibi, were abused by armed men and an influential landlord because goats owned by the women allegedly entered the landlord’s fields and damaged crops. (See Prayer Alert 13th June)
Pray: that the Christians' complaint will be upheld and the aggressors brought to justice pray for the protection of Human Rights Defenders in Pakistan. (Ps.86:14-17)
There have been many who have tried to disrupt the free elections and cause confusion in the run up to Pakistan’s elections on May 11th. A Christian living in the country has a sked us to ‘Pray that men and women of peace will be placed in office and those who are elected will be respected by the people, even if they disagree with their politics.’ From 1st January to 21st April this year 1,536 individuals have been killed and 1,263 sustained injuries as the result of terrorism in Pakistan. In the last eight days 55 individuals were killed and over 120 injured in bombings of election meetings, candidates offices and targeted killing of candidates. The visible election campaign can only be seen in Punjab and all these blasts are part of the agenda of weakening democracy and depriving representatives from coming into power.
Pray: for better security during the upcoming elections through wisdom and watchfulness of political leadership, security agencies and police. (Ps.34:14)
More: http://asiantribune.com/node/62418
Muslims in Pakistan formed a human shield Sunday at a church in Lahore to protect Christians from terrorist attacks. It was the second such demonstration in a week following a similar display of Muslim-Christian unity in Karachi. Christians are 3% of the Muslim-dominated 180 million. Recently suicide bombers blew themselves up at a church killing 80 and injuring 130. A group called Jundullah claimed responsibility saying it would continue to target non-Muslims in Pakistan until drone strikes ceased. ‘The terrorists showed us what they do on Sundays’ said Mohammed Jibran Nasir, organizer of the humanchain protest. ‘Here we are showing them what we do on Sundays. We unite. I see no reason why our politicians and our leaders should not come out of their houses, leave the luxury of their secure homes and stand in solidarity with the common man.’
Pray: that Christians in Pakistan will show a bold testimony to those around them. Pray for protection for Christians facing intimidation and threats.