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Damage at the New Apostolic Church Photo from AsiaNews |
Ask God to strengthen and encourage the Christians affected by this attack. Pray for healing for those injured. Pray that increased persecution in the area will result in increased boldness among believers (Acts 4:29-31).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, go to the Pakistan Country Report.
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
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 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.
An angered mob recently set fire to the home and medical clinic of a Pakistani Christian man the day after police arrested him on allegations that he had shared blasphemous content on social media. Kamran Gill, a father of three, operates a pharmacy and clinic in the village of Gharial Kalan, Punjab Province.
In 2018, two brothers were sentenced to death on allegations of blasphemy. The charges brought against these Christian men stemmed from website material that had been posted back in 2009. (The content in question was deemed offensive to Islam.) After fleeing the country, and seeking asylum elsewhere, the brothers returned in 2014 to Pakistan where they were subsequently arrested. (See further information about each of their cases.)
In two separate cases, Christian men in Punjab, Pakistan, have recently been charged with blasphemy. In both instances, family members and supporters are calling for transparent investigations and the implementation of proper judicial processes.
In 2014, Shahzad Masih and his wife Shama were falsely accused of burning the Quran. Militant Muslim leaders had incited villagers to attack the young Christian couple, resulting in a frenzied mob of hundreds participating in a series of torturous events that culminated in the believers' tragic deaths. Shama, who was five months pregnant at the time, was brutally killed along with her husband and thrown into a burning brick kiln. (VOMC's initially posted Persecution & Prayer Alert about this fatal incident may be reviewed here.)
