Photo: AsiaNews
Religious minorities in the predominantly Muslim nation of Pakistan are frequently looked down upon and treated with contempt by opposing community members. Persecution reports have generally fallen into one of the following two categories: 1) believers accused of blasphemy; and 2) Christian girls and young women who were abducted and forcibly married to Muslim men.
Numerous reports have been published outlining the injustices experienced by the concerned families of Christian girls and young women who were kidnapped, raped, forced to convert to Islam, and then married off to their captors. As the families of these vulnerable victims are generally very poor and considered to be of low societal status, support from the courts and community members in such cases is far too often minimal.
In two disturbing incidents, the kidnapping escalated to murder. In June, a Christian widow and mother of three was abducted, raped, doused with acid and murdered – all for merely refusing the advances of a local man who wanted her to convert to Islam and marry him. In December 2022, a 12-year-old girl named Hoorab was kidnapped. After her captors were discovered and brought to court, Hoorab's father, Basharat, was killed on April 24th. It is believed that Basharat's murder was perpetrated by those seeking revenge for his attempts to bring his daughter's captors to justice (learn more).
For many years, blasphemy accusations have been used as an easy way for unscrupulous individuals to seek revenge against Christians during personal or business disagreements. Such accusations can quickly spread to the point of instigating the wrath of frenzied rioters who react by committing devastating acts of violence and destruction. Not only were the accused believers and their families at risk, so were the lives of the individuals who tried to justly defend them. This has resulted in increased challenges for those seeking justice within the country's legal system.
In June, a Scripture verse was posted on Facebook by a Christian, sparking the outrage of militant Muslims against all believers in general. Due to the uncontrollable mob violence, hundreds of Christians were forced to flee for their lives (read more). Two months later, after allegations were made that two Christian brothers had been burning pages of the Quran, thousands of angry rioters stormed a Christian colony in Jaranwala. Numerous churches and homes were destroyed in the attacks, leaving so many innocent victims grief-stricken and destitute. A video report on the latter incident may be viewed here.
When reviewing other reports of the past year, it appears that Pakistan's courts have been more careful when examining evidence relating to blasphemy cases. In an incident that occurred this September, a couple was charged because a bystander in their community noticed papers containing Quranic verses blowing from a rooftop. The accused believers were released a month later due to the lack of evidence. In a previous case that took place in January, an airport security officer was accused of blasphemy simply for doing her job by restricting entrance to a secure location. All the accusations made against the officer were quickly dismissed after the facts were determined. To read this year's 25 reports relating to the country of Pakistan, along with those of previous years, go to our country report.
Please pray for Christians in Pakistan who are courageously persevering in their faith amid such a harsh environment, including those who are presently imprisoned because of the false accusations made against them. Also intercede for believers who have been acquitted, but yet still face hostility from the spiritually opposing members of their communities. May God mightily intervene in this South Asian nation, bringing about an atmosphere of tolerance and unity, while also leading court and legislative officials to act justly on behalf of all Pakistan's citizens. Last, but not least, remember our suffering sisters in Christ who have been forcibly "married" to their abusers, asking the Lord to encourage, comfort and strengthen each one of them through the many assuring promises in His Word, an increased awareness of His divine presence, and a greater sense of His sustaining grace.
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