Leaders fear more violence against Christians

Intro: Leaders fear more violence against Christians

John R. Houk

© June 4, 2013

Evidently the last election cycle in Pakistan has placed a government in place that will increase the yoke of bondage among Pakistani Christians. Christian leaders in Pakistan are so fearful of the situation that they are exploring possibilities for a Christian exodus to nations in which Christianity predominates. In my mind that means Western nations and probably the USA is at the top of that list.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) political party came to power after the recent 2013 elections in Pakistan. The Party leader Nawaz Sharif apparent Islamic religious views fall to the purist (i.e. Radical Islam) side of Islam. This means religious minorities in Pakistan can expect a rough ride because of this. Since Christians are often viewed as the lowest form of existence among Pakistani minorities that means Believers in the Resurrection and accompanying Salvation in Christ Jesus have a target for persecution and exploitation on their heads in Pakistan.

Check out this excerpt from Martin Barillas writing for Spero News about Pakistani Christians:

After the recent elections that brought to power the "Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz" (PML-N) party and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, many Christians are skeptical. In a recent conference held in Lahore, a group of Christian leaders said that Pakistani Christians are worried about the future.

Among their concerns is the prosection (sic) of Pakistan's Muslim blasphemy laws, which are often used to persecute Christian minorities. Nadeem Anthony, a Christian lawyer, told the Fides news agency, “The majority of Christians do not have high hopes in Sharif’s future government because of his religious conservative approach and links with fundamentalist groups. Sharif was also in favor of the blasphemy law, which is a major cause of problems for Christians in Pakistan," he recalls.

…

Christians note that perpetrators of anti-Christian violence apparently act with impunity in the majority Muslim country. Following the 2009 affray [SlantRight Editor: See this Christianity Today article to see what happened in 2009], only 17 people were charged with murder and another 113 charges with aiding in the massacre. All were released within a few months. "The witnesses were systematically intimidated and silenced,” said Peter Jacob of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan. (Read Entirety; 6/3/13)

Shamim Masih is a Pakistani Christian journalist in Pakistan. He shares the underlying fears growing among Pakistani Christians because the PML-N in the 2013 elections.

JRH 6/4/13

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Leaders fear more violence against Christians

By Shamim Masih

Sent: 6/3/2013 2:03 PM

Lahore:  Joseph Francis, International Director, CLAAS, said in a press conference here today that Pakistani Christians are in great fear to face more violence and torture during the next government of PML-N.

In the press conference at Lahore Press Club, Joseph Francis said that "we are afraid that during the PML-N rule, Pakistani Christians will face more violence as they have faced similar situation in the past during PML-N government. Gojra, Korian and Joseph Colony incidents were being planned by the fanatics and supported by PML-N leadership", he alleged.

Talking to the media, Martin Javed Michel blamed that Joseph Colony incident was backed by PML-N leaders Malik Riaz, Chaudhry Shehbaz, Dr. Asad Ashraf, Ghazali Saleem Butt and Mushtaq Mughal and it was reported to the police as well. "But unfortunately, Premier Mian Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif have not taken any notice against them and the same leaders are in the ruling elite and will create more problems for Christians". He said, "we are Pakistanis since our forefathers and have been faithful to the country but unluckily, since partition, we are being treated as second class citizen". "If the situation remains same as it seems, then Pakistani Christians will be forced to leave the country as Hindu community left for India in the recent past", he feared.

Joseph Francis, working for the victims for the last two decades has requested the foreign countries like Australia, Canada, America and European Union to open their gates for Pakistani Christians. He demanded the Christian countries to provide shelter for the Pakistani Christians as they are not safe in Pakistan. India opened their gates for Hindu fellows why can’t Christian counties do the same for Christians, he demanded. He demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan to form a Commission for fact finding of the Joseph Colony incident and culprits should be punished.

Be Blessed,

Shamim Masih

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Intro: Leaders fear more violence against Christians

John R. Houk

© June 4, 2013

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Leaders fear more violence against Christians

Shamim Masih

Christian Rights Activist
Freelance Journalist 

Secretary General

REAP

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