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)
Pakistan: Force conversion against loan
29 Apr 20134.5 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/
Pakistan: Evangelist killed
28 Nov 2011Evangelist 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
Pakistan: Elections
09 Mar 2013Will Pakistan return to a moderate government or become a fanatical terrorist country? The election process starts March 15th but much campaigning is going on now. An interim government will be in place for one month before May elections. Pray a religious ‘pir’ will not be Prime Minister during this period (Jer.1:8-10). Pakistan’s home minister Rahman Malik confirmed the Taliban was behind last Sunday’s car bomb in Karachi killing 50+ people and injuring 140+. Many believe political parties have gone soft on terrorist organisations because terrorists help them win elections (forcing candidates to withdraw their candidature and providing security to their political masters.) A worrying aspect is that the banned Sipah-eSahaba (Taliban affiliated party) entered into a poll alliance with PML-N, whose leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is known to be close to the Taliban (they named him as a guarantor in recent negotiations).
Pray: the run up to Pakistan’s elections will be peaceful. Pray deliverance for the innocent lives being destroyed and the failing economy. (2Ch.32:7)
Pakistan: Election prayer campaign
29 Apr 2013Pakistan is waging a continued war against terrorism, Talibanisation, extremism and radicalization as they go to the polls in May. They genuinely expect democracy to bring good governance that will deliver them from the quagmire of problems. Election-2013 will be of significant importance and have long term consequences for democratic consolidation in Pakistan. The National Prayer Network of Pakistan in partnership with local churches initiated a prayer campaign in December 2012 focusing on the 2013 General Election. The campaign aims to motivate Christians across Pakistan to pray for the upcoming election, believing persistent prayer will impact the election process. The campaign is also focusing on a spiritual and moral awakening of the Church and for the healing of the nation. We are being asked to pray for the Church’s Spiritual Awakening to the power of prayer to change things. See: http://www.prayerconnect.net/news/prayer-connect-news/taliban-prayer-focus
Pray: God will lead the Pakistani Church into a revival through the life-changing power of Jesus Christ in her midst, and a true cultural transformation. (Pr.11:14)
More: http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Prayer-Network-Pakistan/251652868252?sk=photos_stream
Pakistan: Eight aid workers missing
21 Jul 2011
Pakistani employees of a US based aid organization are missing and feared kidnapped in Pakistan's volatile southwes,t bordering Afghanistan, a senior Pakistani government official said on Tuesday. The American Refugee Committee (ARC) employees were returning from an Afghan refugee camp in Pishin in Baluchistan province on Monday evening when they went missing. They distributed some relief goods among the refugees and were probably kidnapped on their way back to Quetta. Efforts are underway to recover them. Militants linked to al-Qaeda and the Taliban, as well as ethnic Baluch militants fighting for more autonomy, have been involved in violence in the region, which also borders Iran. Kidnapping is an industry in Pakistan's lawless tribal regions, with money often being the main motivation rather than political demands. Ransoms are a large source of revenue for the Taliban, al-Qaeda and the Baluch insurgency. ARC has worked in refugee camps since 2002 focusing on providing health care and training in basic health services.
Pray: for Christian NGO workers to be protected as they minister to physical, emotional and spiritual needs. (Ps.25:21)
More: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/19/us-pakistan-kidnap-idUSTRE76I0PY20110719
We have been asked to pray for Christian communities in flood disaster areas who are not receiving aid due to religious discrimination. A trusted source said, ‘Things in the West province Khyber Pukhtoonkhaw are quite bad. The province was already hit badly due to the war against terrorism with military action continuing in some areas. Millions of people are displaced, have lost their houses, businesses and loved ones, and more rains are to be expected. Just in this one province 1300 Christian families have lost all. I have reports that they have been moved into some mission schools in Peshawar and they would need assistance with basic items of life. I know the government is trying to send aid but the devastation is quite huge. Christians already are marginalized and when the aid is given by the government normally it does not reach them due to the discriminatory behaviour and nature of the majority, which adds to their misery. Please pray also for fair distribution of aid in the Punjab and Baluchistan province'. Pray: for God’s mercy and grace to provide all that is needed in this terrible disaster. (Ps.31:1)