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Pakistan

• Christian Woman Jailed under Pakistan's Blasphemy Law

  Martha Bibi's lawyer (back, right) with her husband and four of her children. Photo from All Pakistan Minorities Alliance.

  Martha Bibi, a Christian woman from Kot Nanak Singg in Kasur district, Pakistan has been accused of defiling the name of Muhammad and has been charged under Pakistan's blasphemy law, Section 295C.

  Bibi and her husband rent out construction equipment. They had recently rented out tools and supplies for the construction of the Sher Rabbani mosque. When the builders failed to pay, Martha went to the construction site on January 22 to collect the money. When the workers refused to pay, she tried to retrieve the equipment but was stopped before she entered the mosque. Three men, Muhammad Ramzan, Mohammad Akram and Muhammad Dilbar beat her until some people walking by intervened.

  Later that night, the mosque's imam accused Martha of uttering blasphemous words about Muhammad and he urged local Muslims to attack Christians. Fearing for their lives, Martha and her family fled their home. Her husband, Boota Masih, and her six children escaped to a neighbour's house but Martha was captured and arrested. Martha is imprisoned at the Changa Manga police station awaiting trial. Her family remains in hiding for their protection.

  Ask God to bring Scripture verses of comfort to Martha's mind during her imprisonment (Psalm 119:49-56).  Pray for the protection of her husband and children. Pray that Christians in Pakistan will follow Christ's example and entrust themselves to the One who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23). Pray that all charges against Martha will be dropped and that she will be released.

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

• Elderly Men Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison

  James Masih and Buta Masih Pictures fromCompass Direct

  James Masih (65) and Buta Masih (70), two Pakistani Christians who were arrested on October 9 on blasphemy charges (click here for more details), have been sentenced to a prison term of ten years and a fine of 25,000 rupees ($465 CAD).

  The prison verdict was delivered during a closed hearing at Faisalabad's Anti-Terrorism Court on November 25. The Christians' defense lawyer, Khalil Tahir Sindu, responded to the verdict by stressing that his clients were innocent and that there was a lack of direct evidence against them. Sindu also noted that, by law, blasphemy charges of this nature warrant a life sentence. Their shorter sentence, he believes, was a clear signal that the judge considers the two men innocent, but felt pressured to rule against them to satisfy Muslim militants. He intends to appeal the sentences before the High Court in Lahore within the coming week.

  Pray that God will give James and Buta comfort during their imprisonment. Pray that He will give them opportunities in prison to share the gospel for which they suffer (Colossians 4:2-3). Pray that Pakistani Christians will have the patience to entrust true justice into the hands of God (Romans 12:17-21).

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

• Ranjha Masih Acquitted Ranjha Masih (58), a Pakistani Christian who has been in solitary confinement on blasphemy charges for eight years, was acquitted on November 10 due to lack of any solid evidence against him. Masih was arrested on May 8, 1998 for allegedly damaging an Islamic signboard and was sentenced to life in prison in April 2003 (for details, click here). He has been waiting for three years to have his appeal heard by the courts. Masih is scheduled for release on November 14 after the "bureaucratic requirements" have been sorted out. He has recently received death threats and will be kept in hiding by the Christian community as soon as he is released. Please pray for Ranjha Masih's protection from the Muslim vigilantes.
• Elderly Men Accused of Blasphemy

  Police in Faisalabad, Pakistan have arrested two Catholic men on blasphemy charges, according to an October 9 report from AsiaNews. The two men, James and Buta Masih, both 70, allegedly burned pages from the Quran even though their accusers did not see them commit the act. The illiterate men were burning what they believed were merely scrap papers. A local Muslim, Arshad Mubarak, claimed that pages from the Quran were included. A local priest, Yaqoob Yousaf, said the plaintiff had been trying to get James Masih to sell his house but to no avail and that the accusations were an act of retribution.

  Pray that all charges will be dropped against the men. Remember the many Christians suffering in Pakistani prisons on similar false charges.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan,click here.
• Ranjha Masih Facing Intense Pressure

  In April 2003, Ranjha Masih was sentenced to life in prison for allegedly damaging an Islamic signboard in 1998 (click here to read more). According to an October 6 report from Jubilee Campaign, Ranjha is facing intense pressure from guards and fellow prisoners to convert to Islam and is suffering from deteriorating health and discouragement. Pray for Ranjha's emotional and physical health. Also pray that his long-standing appeal will be heard and that he will be acquitted.

• Christian Villagers Attacked in Land Dispute

  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.

• Rape Victim Harrassed by Accused

  In September 2005, Ribqa Masih was kidnapped, drugged and repeatedly raped over a period of several days. Her captors threatened to kill her if she did not convert to Islam (click here for more details). One of the two men accused was denied bail and is currently in custody. The other man, Muhammad Kashif, initially fled the courthouse when he was denied bail. He was later recaptured but was released on bail in December because of illness. According to a July 7 report from Compass Direct, Kashif now lives only a few blocks away from Ribqa and has repeatedly threatened her and her father, insisting that they drop the case against him. Continue to pray for Ribqa and her family.

• Land Dispute Leads to Death of Baby for Christian Family

  The persecution facing Christians in Pakistan frequently comes from a lack of equal treatment by authorities. Such appears to be the case for the family of Mansha Masih in the village of Gadi Wind in the Kasur district south of Lahore.

  Mansha and his family are poor labourers.  He lives in a home that has been in the family for forty years. Recently, however, a prominent Muslim businessman named Nazar Mohammad has laid claim to the property. The dispute is currently before the courts but that did not stop Nazar from taking matters into his own hands, apparently with the approval of the authorities.

  According to a report received from VOMC sources on June 26, Mansha's wife, Arshad Bibi, was alone at home with their two-year-old daughter and newborn son when Nazar Mohammad and several others, accompanied by some police officers, entered the home. They beat Arshad and began throwing the belongings out of their home and then bulldozed the building. Sadly, the newborn son was on a bed when it was thrown out of the house and died from chest injuries. When the baby was found dead, the police officers fled the scene.

  When Mansha attempted to file a complaint on the incident with the local police, the police superintendent threatened him if he said anything. Mansha then took the baby's body to the hospital, but Nazar was already there speaking with the doctor and consequently, the death was ruled to be from starvation. The family is now left without a home and Nazar has begun construction on the land.

  Pray that Mansha and his wife will find comfort in the fact that they will see their little one again (2 Samuel 12:23). Pray that Arshad will find both physical and emotional healing from the attack and that the family will find a safe place to live. Ask God to strengthen them to forgive their persecutors and maintain a consistent testimony before them (Matthew 5:16, 43-44).

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

• Prisoner Released

  Seven years ago on February 5, 1999, Amjad Masih was arrested on vagrancy charges in the Pakistani town of Jhang. While in police custody, he was accused of burning the Quran and charged under Pakistan's blasphemy law.

  The only witnesses were the police who supposedly saw the incident. A High Court in eastern Pakistan upheld the sentence in August 7, 2003. Amjad claimed that police set up him and another Christian prisoner after they refused to pay a bribe.

  The Voice of the Martyrs learned today that Amjad Masih was released from the Central Jail in Faisalabad on the evening of May 30, 2006. He is now at home but reclusive. Previous reports had indicated that Amjad was suffering from depression during his long incarceration.

  Please pray as local Christians seek to minister to him and his family. Praise God for his release. Pray for his continued safety as those accused of blasphemy often face danger upon their release from Islamic militants.

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

• Pastor's Home Vandalized

  Four people have been arrested on suspicion of vandalizing the home of a Presbyterian pastor in Stonsabad, Pakistan, about 370 kilometers south of Islamabad.  According to a report by the Indian Catholic, the attack took place on the afternoon of April 4 while Pastor Saul Yousaf was away in Multan.  The vandals took a Bible, a sound system, some furniture and other things outside of the building and set them on fire.  The building, which also serves as a place of worship, was also damaged in the attack.

  A few days earlier, a group of people also raided a church in the neighbouring village of Nathu Walli and tried to burn it down.  The building and some of the furniture were damaged in the arson attempt.
  
  

  Pray that the churches in Stonsabad and Nathu Walli will rest in the fact that God's Word stands firm, regardless of any attempts to silence it (Isaiah 40:8). Pray that they will be able to meet in safety.

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