After extensive flooding of the Ravi River in 1988 destroyed several villages, fifty-five Christian families and twelve Muslim families formed the village of Moman Pura Thaiki near the Pakistani city of Lahore. Investigations determined that there was no owner of the land, so they proceeded to build mud huts to live. In 2000, the Christians began building a place of worship. When Yaqoob Maher, a Muslim from a neighbouring village, heard that the Christians were erecting a church building, he petitioned the local court to stop the construction. Maher has strong ties to the local government and chief of police and was able to produce forged documents laying claim to the land. The court determined that Maher's documents were forgeries and he was sentenced to six months in prison.
As years passed and the village was built up, Maher's determination to take control of the village grew. Finally, on August 7, he and twelve armed men attacked the village. They destroyed the door and windows of the church building and seriously injured at least three local Christians. When the Christians attempted to file a police report, they were threatened and insulted by the police and thrown out of the police station. Using his contacts, Maher filed a police report against several of the Christians that accused them of opening fire on him.
Members of two organizations representing Christians in Pakistan - CLAAS and Sharing Life Ministries Pakistan (SLMP) - heard of the incident and managed to lodge a complaint against Maher. Just as they left the village on August 12, however, Maher's cohorts returned, assaulted a number of Christians and burned down the church building and two nearby homes. They also stole twenty-five head of cattle and one Christian man, Bashir Masih, was abducted. Masih lives in the home adjacent to the church building. When he tried to resist the attackers, he was badly beaten and his house was ransacked. He is still missing. Police took two hours to arrive at the scene.
Christians in Pakistan and many other Muslim areas frequently receive significantly different treatment from the authorities because of their religious beliefs. Muslim police officers will often overtly support the persecutors and their actions.
Ask God to influence the police to provide the level of protection that these Christians need. Pray also that they will display the love of Christ to their Muslim neighbors and trust God to avenge them as He sees fit (Romans 12:17-21). Pray that the actions of Yaqoob Maher will be thwarted. Also pray for the family of the kidnapped believer. Pray that he will be allowed to safely return home.
For more information on Pakistan and the situation facing Christians there, click here.
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