Yousaf Masih is a sweeper who has worked over twenty years for the Pakistani military. According to VOM sources, Yousaf was cleaning the office in the house of a military officer on June 28 when he came across a bag of papers. The major told Yousaf to take the papers outside and burn them. Workers saw the papers and began accusing him of burning pages from the Koran. Yousaf, who is illiterate, had no idea of what was happening and, fearing for his life in the face of these accusations, fled and ran to his home east of Peshawar in northeastern Pakistan. That afternoon, police came to his home and arrested Yousaf, accusing him of desecrating the Koran; a crime punishable by death in Pakistan.
Following the arrests, angry Muslims in the community came to Yousaf's home and beat his three sons. That evening, mobs began destroying Christian property. An estimated 200 homes were burned in the area and the contents were looted. A Hindu temple was also attacked, since the mob apparently thought initially that Yousaf was a Hindu. Police have since surrounded the area and are attempting to contain further riots.
Pray that Yousaf will be released from custody. Pray for safety for Christians in the community who are living in fear of further attacks. Pray for the Christians in the community who must begin the process of rebuilding.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, click here.
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