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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.
Tens of thousands of villages are still underwater with 17 million acres of desperately needed crops wiped out. This will mean food shortages in the near future for a country so poor that it is dependent on foreign aid to get by even in the good years. Eight million of the 20 million affected have yet to see any aid, and angry citizens complain their government is failing them by not getting them food or transportation. Private boat owners are taking people through the floodwaters, but charging so much that few Pakistanis can pay. Pray: that neither greed nor compromise thrives in Pakistan, but rather a spirit of humble service would be birthed and permeate throughout disaster relief. (Mt.5:7) More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/August/Food-Shortages-Next-for-Pakistan-Flood-Victims/
The gateway town of Jhang (the name means war) gives access for the Taliban and al-Qaeda into the west of Pakistan and into Afghanistan. The group Sipah-e-Sahaba, (Warriors of God) have their headquarters in Jhang, and are feared so much that many will not mention their name, calling them ‘green hats’ (turbans). In President Musharraf’s time they were banned and splintered into three groups to disguise themselves. They are now reforming openly as one group. They know there is a spiritual power which they serve, believing it gives them protection. This is making them unusually bold, travelling to Sind and Karachi outside their Punjab homeland. They are the group claiming responsibility for many attacks in the Punjab where Christians and their villages were destroyed. Some of their attacks have been to incite hatred against ethnic groups. (See Prayer Alert 2709) Pray: for God’s intervention in confrontational situations and for His Spirit to protect and lead Christians at this time. (2 Tim.1:7)
The Pakistani government was barred on Monday by the country's high court from pardoning a Christian woman sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. A lawyer argued that a pardon would be illegal while the case was pending in the courts. ‘Since the matter is in the high court, the government cannot now make any move to pardon Bibi,’ lawyer Allah Bakhsh Leghari told Agence France-Presse. Asia Bibi was sentenced early this month to death by hanging for allegedly speaking against the Prophet Muhammad. (see last week's Prayer Alert) Religious leaders including Pope Benedict XVI, and human rights groups have called for her release but conservative Muslims have threatened anarchy if President Asif Ali Zadari pardons Bibi. Federal Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti said he expects her to be freed, his preliminary findings from investigations of all accusations showed she was innocent. Pray: for God's mercy and justice to rule and reign through all decisions made regarding Bibi’s future. (Is.14:3-4)
4.5 million kiln workers and their families are bonded labour at around 18,000 brick kilns across Pakistan. They are paid between Rs. 230-450 per 1,000 bricks regardless of how long and how many members of the family it takes to complete the task, fetching mud, soaking it, shaping bricks, transporting bricks to kiln, baking and grading each brick. In cases of severe weather or illness, workers earn nothing and a credit line from their employers acts as a noose that forces families deeper into debt. This is a form of slave labour. Babar Amanat, Sabir Masih and their families work for 18 hours a day to achieve a target, which they hardly meet. Due to illness of his father, Babar got a loan which he couldn’t payoff and went deeper into debt. The owners demanded his money back or convert to Islam. The kiln workers live in or around the kilns; there are no latrines in brick kilns’ houses. The women workers are often trapped and sexually harassed.
Pray: for NGOs to help the people in trouble, relocating them if necessary reducing such persecution in society.
More: http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april232013/bonded-workers-sm.php
Police here filed false charges of alcohol possession against 47 Christians, including women and children, on March 28 in an attempt to intimidate them into paying a bribe, Christian leaders said. Police ransacked the home of Shaukat Masih on Palm Sunday, manhandled his wife Parveen Bibi, and threatened to charge them and 45 Christians from other areas with alcohol possession if they did not pay a bribe, said attorney Albert Patras. The Christians refused. ‘Police are not interested in their arrest, instead they were trying to extort some money from the destitute Christians,’ Patras said. ‘Police thought that Christians, being a soft target, would readily be bribed to save their families. Non-Muslims with a permit are allowed to possess and drink alcohol in Pakistan, while alcohol is forbidden to Muslims. Shaukat Masih has a government permit to keep and drink alcohol,’ Patras said, thus making the possession charge baseless.
Pray: for our brothers and sisters in Christ who face persecution on a daily basis that God would strengthen them. (2Th.3:2-3)
More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/17273/
Evangelist Jameel Saawan was shot dead in Karachi on Nov. 16th by an unidentified gunman in a radical Muslim group's targeting of a Christian. As he opened the doors of his cosmetics shop a young man appeared and shot him in the neck and face, then fled on a motorcycle with two others. Saawan was a widely respected member of the Christian community who visited several families every day to share the Bible. He received death threats two years ago after voicing his desire to start a welfare organization for poor Christians but had not been threatened recently. Saawan's son said, ‘We firmly believe my father was killed because of his preaching of the Bible, there is no other reason. It wasn't a robbery, the assassin walked towards my father and shot at him.’
Pray: that Jameel’s family would know God's comfort, and for the Christian community to know His peace and protection. (Ps.120)
More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/article_123411.html