As reported in the special edition Persecution and Prayer Alert of January 15, 2004, the Bible Society library in Karachi, Pakistan, along with the adjoining Holy Trinity Anglican Church, was damaged when an explosive device was thrown from a motorcycle, followed a few minutes later with a powerful car bomb. More than eleven people were injured, though none seriously.
Two days after the attack, police reported the arrest of Shamim Ahmed, 25, a member of a banned militant group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. Following information gained from his interrogation, police later raided a bomb-making factory in the city. According to the deputy inspector-general of the Karachi police, they found hand-made grenades, remote-control devices, parcel bombs and two bombs ready to be used, each weighing ten kilograms.
|
There are questions whether the intended target of the bombing was the Christians in the area or the police guarding the property. Regardless, Christians in Pakistan have been made to feel particularly vulnerable because of this bombing.
Continue to pray for those injured in the explosions. Pray that the work of the Bible Society will continue, despite nervousness.
For pictures of the attack, click here. For more more information on challenges facing Christians in Pakistan, follow the links from our website at https://www.vomcanada.com/pakistan.htm.
Population
