A Youhanabad Church torched after homicidal-suicide bombings
Shamim Masih writes of how the Pakistan government shows
little interest in the Christian victims of Islamic Terrorism and Islamic
Supremacism. AND yet when two Muslims
are unjustly accused of participating in the Youhanabad Churches
homicidal-suicide attacks are lynched and their dead bodies burnt, then the
Pakistan government goes crazy rounding up Christians to torture confessions
for the lynching incident. AND worse Pakistan’s Christian leadership are more
interested in their fiefdoms and self-aggrandized profits than in forming a
united front to at least place political pressure on falsely accused
Christians.
JRH 12/8/15
*****************************
Put Your House in
Order First!
By Shamim Masih
Sent: 12/6/2015 11:52
PM
ISLAMABAD: It was a sunny morning, my cell phone was
ringing, and William Javed on the other side said that Punjab Government
arrested Aslam Parvez Sohtra [Pakistan Christian Post]
from Islamabad in the wake of Youhanabad demonstration after the twin blasts.
It was shocking news for me, as Aslam Parvez Sohtra with his team [HLCP]
was at my house a day before his arrest. He was planning to raise a voice for
the victims of Youhanabad but he himself became a victim; since then nobody
ever raised a voice for his release.
Aslam Parvez Sohtra speaking after Youhanabad Massacre 3/15/15
Earlier the local media reported and declared Sohail Johnson
as the main source behind this outrage [International – The News].
Certainly he has to run out to save his skin. This is the result if you work as
a human rights activist and raise a voice for your people. I know these people
have been devotedly working for the community. It is really shameful that some
people from the same community have been betrayed with them. This disloyalty is
not with these people but with the community.
On March 15, 2015, at least 19 people were killed and more
than 80 injured when two suicide bombers attacked two churches in Youhanabad [Global News Centre], Lahore, sparking
mob violence in which two other suspected militants died. After the incident
Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif [Wikipedia] has not visited the people of his own
constituency to show solidarity, instead CM has visited one killer’s family and
assured them that people form Youhanabad had been arrested.
In the entire episode that has taken place, we have seen the
double standards in how things are dealt with when Muslims are the victims which
are becoming obvious. After the death of two men, the media and everyone else
conveniently forgot the dozens of victims from the Christian community [Dawn], and the threat that
looms over their heads because of the actions of a few individuals. Though
Christians have repeatedly condemned the unfortunate incident from various
platforms, but the electronic media has shied away from airing the other side
of the story. No one talked about the people who died saving lives. No one was
talking about the victims or the survivors. There should be a balanced approach
to the situation from our media friends.
After the incident the mob was like an unguided missile…
when they reacted no one was there to handle them neither police nor Christian
leadership. The situation could have been controlled if the mob had been
dispersed by bringing the leadership in, but no leadership [individuals] were
not seen on the ground. Any community [typically] has two leaderships, one is
the political and the other is the top clergy. It is very unfortunate that both
[community] leaders have had no statement of purpose or plan of action to deal with
such situations.
Unfortunately politicians have lost their trustworthiness
and the clergy is busy in selling church properties etc. Missionary work has
turned to business instead service. The clergy is not serving the nation but
busy in making money. Educational institutions established under church based
organizations meant to serve the nation are not taking Christian students in.
Big churches have ample development funds if it spends some percentage for the
betterment of the community. There is no doubt that the Christian community
will track on prosperity. There are many small churches but the bigger refuse
to coordinate with them. The NGO sector run by Christian management is working
for their vested interests. Thus the poor Christian community is seen in this
meager condition.
There is routine discrimination/persecution seen around but
there are a number of major incidents happening like Shantinager, Sangla Hill,
Gojra, Joseph colony, Youhanabad etc. [The Express Tribune]. Even
after these many incidents, I don’t see the Christian leadership - neither the clergy
nor the political - showing the seriousness that is expected of them. What ever
happened cannot be undone but the people that are left need to be protected.
Unless we are united we can’t build pressure for our rights, we won’t count for
anything, and we can’t mold the government or do any opinion building. I am
sure if we put our house in order, we all will lead a happier life.
Be Blessed,
Shamim Masih
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Correspondent, Pakistan Today - (About Pakistan Today), Blogger and Human Rights
Activist
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___________________________
Edited by John R. Houk
Text or links enclosed by brackets are by the Editor.
© Shamim Masih
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