Armed Muslims Attack Christians

27 June 2007

^{Christians injured in the attack
Photo from}^{Compass Direct}

On the evening of June 17, approximately forty Muslim men armed with guns, axes and wooden sticks attacked several believers while they were preparing for an evangelistic meeting at a Salvation Army church in the village of Bismillahlpur Kanthan, 20 miles from Faisalabad. According to a June 20 report from Compass Direct, seven Christians were injured and the church was desecrated. Local Christians said that the attack was sparked by their refusal to cancel the evangelistic meeting. The night before the attack, armed Muslims had stormed the home of Sawar Masih, one of the meeting's organizers, and assaulted his two young children and demanded he cancel the event.

Christians injured in the June 17 attack were forced to leave the hospital after only a few hours of treatment and doctors under-reported their wounds due to pressure from the militants. Police initially refused to file a complaint against the attackers and did so only after lobbying efforts from local Christians. Several Christians have fled the area in fear of further attacks.

Pray that the victims of this attack will display the love of Christ to their Muslim neighbours and trust God to avenge them as He sees fit (Romans 12:17-21). Pray that Christians in Pakistan will not give in to fear but rest in the fact that the Good Shepherd walks with them through their trials.

For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Pakistan, click here.

Pakistan

Current Ministry Projects
VOMC partners to train Christian women in sewing skills throughout Pakistan to provide a sustainable source of income for their families and encourage them in their faith and witness for Christ.

Project Funds: Families of Martyrs, Women’s Ministry
Country Information
Population
247,653,551 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Punjabi (44.7), Pashtun [Pathan] (15.4), Sindhi (14.1), Saraiki (8.4) Muhajirs (7.6) Balochi (3.6), Other (6.3)

Religion (%)
Islam (96.5), Other - Christian and Hindu (3.5)

Leader
President Asif Ali Zardari (2024)

Government type
Federal parliamentary republic

Legal system
Common law system with Islamic law influence

Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Pakistan
Pray that amendments will be made to Pakistan's existing blasphemy laws so that the country's citizens – including its children – will be protected from injustice and abuse. May our Lord's mercy and justice prevail, not only in the judiciary system but also in the hearts of the country's militants. Ask Him to transform their "hearts of stone" into hearts that are receptive to His love, mercy and the workings of His Holy Spirit – not only for the purpose of protecting the Christian minority but also for the salvation of their own eternal souls.