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Pakistan

• Police Appear to Cover Murder

  Despite protests and demands from Christians in Khanewal, Pakistan, there have been no arrests yet in the shooting death of Pastor Mukhtar Barkat Masih on January 5 (read the details). Adding to the concerns of the local Christians, there have been indications that authorities would prefer to cover up the case rather than investigate it. According to a report received on January 9, the Station Head Officer of the Khanewal Railway Police station Malik Mukhtar Awan released a statement on January 7 claiming that Masih had died of cardiac arrest, despite the postmortem report which clearly showed that he had been shot twice in the chest. Police have also indicated the possibilities of personal enmity or internal church rivalries, despite claims from family and church members that Masih had been threatened in the past.

  Pray that the truth will come out in this case and that authorities will find the one responsible for this murder. Pray for safety for Christian workers throughout Pakistan.

• Pastor Murdered

  Gunmen shot and killed a pastor at a railway station in central Pakistan on January 5. Mukhtar Masih, pastor of the Church of God in Khurrampra, had arrived at the railway station at Khanewal around 3:00 a.m. to catch a train to Lahore, when he was shot twice in the chest by unidentified gunmen. At last report, there was no indication who the killers were, but the deputy superintendent of police in Khanewal, Mohammed Shahzad, told Associated Press that it appeared to be an act of terrorism. Money and other valuables were not taken, ruling out robbery. According to his son, Mukhtar had previously received threats from Islamic militants attempting to close down the church. Mukhtar had six daughters and one son.

  Pray that the family will know the strength of God's grace in the midst of their grief. Pray that those responsible for this death will be found. Pray for the church as they mourn the loss of their pastor.

  For more information on persecution facing Christians in Pakistan, go toPakistan's Country Report.

• Christian Arrested Under Blasphemy Law

  On November 28, a Christian labourer, Anwar Masih, was arrested and charged for blasphemy after a heated discussion with an acquaintance, Naseer Ahmad, who had converted to Islam three months earlier. According to news reports, the complainant, Ahmad was visiting his Christian mother in the town of Shadhra on the outskirts of Lahore when he got into a discussion on Islam with his mother's neighbour, Masih. During the discussion, Ahmad alleged to police, Masih became angry and blasphemed Mohammad.

  Pakistani Christians have often protested against the Blasphemy Law 295-C

  When Ahmad told other neighbours about the discussion, they gathered a mob together and attacked Masih's home, pelting it with stones. When police arrived, they arrested Masih, ignoring the attack on his home. According to one report, there had been prior enmity between Ahmad and Masih's family and it is believed that these charges are intended as an act of revenge. If convicted of blasphemy under section 295c, Masih could face the death penalty.
  Pray for Anwar Masih and many others facing prison or death under this law which is frequently used for personal gain. Pray that the government will repeal the law. Pray that the arguments of Masih's accusers will fall into disarray and that he will be released.
   

• Travel Ban Lifted for Religious Rights Leader

  On Friday, November 28, The Voice of the Martyrs received the welcome news that the Pakistani government has removed Shahbaz Bhatti, chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) and a leading voice for religious liberty in Pakistan, from the country's Exit Control List. This list is normally reserved for criminals and dissidents and made it impossible for Mr. Bhatti to travel outside the country since mid-October.

  At Shahbaz' request, we want to thank all of you who wrote to the Pakistani authorities on his behalf. We urge you to continue to uphold him in your prayers as he labours on behalf of Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan.

• Authorities Attempt to Silence a Voice for Equality

  Shahbaz Bhatti is no stranger to threats and harassment. As chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), he has raised the voice of persecuted Christians in Pakistan since 1985. For the past several months, threats have increased. Anonymous phone calls warn him to stop his work or face death. He has been threatened by government security agencies with severe punishment. According to sources, he faces arrest and imprisonment at any time. His name has recently been added to Pakistan's Exit Control List, normally reserved for criminals and dissidents, meaning that he is no longer able to travel outside the country.

  Despite the threats, Bhatti is determined to continue. In a letter to The Voice of the Martyrs, Bhatti said, "In spite of government intimidations that may jeopardize my life I am determined to carry on this struggle for the amelioration of minorities and the most dejected class of my countrymen. I am ready to even sacrifice my life for the mission of peace, preservation of Human rights and dignity, alleviation of discrimination and victimization perpetuated by the extremist forces for the attainment of their vested interests."

  Shahbaz Bhatti

  Pray for Shahbaz Bhatti and his continued ministry to the Christian minority in Pakistan. Pray for wisdom and endurance during this time of challenge. We encourage you to contact the Pakistani authorities, politely calling on them to remove his name from the Exit Control List and protect him from danger and injustice. You can fax Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf at 92-51-9224768 or contact the Pakistani Embassy in your country. For contact information for the Pakistani embassy in your country, follow the links from our website at https://www.vomcanada.com/links.htm.
• Christians Released on Bail

  Four Christians accused of killing a Catholic priest were released on bail on September 25, according to an October 10 report from Compass Direct. The four Christians, Sharif Masih, Naimat Masih, Aslam Masih and Parveez Masih, along with a Muslim suspect Mohammed Afzel, were arrested on July 9 for the shooting death of Father George Ibrahim.

  The police claim that Ibrahim was killed in a failed robbery attempt. When the men appeared before the court, however, they said that they had nothing to do with the attack but had "confessed" after being severely tortured by police. They reported that they had been subjected to beatings and electrical shocks. One of the men still cannot walk properly. No date has yet been set for the trial.

  Father Ibrahim had received death threats for the past year from the former principal of a girls' school, Shahzina Sadique, whose husband is reported to be president of the local chapter of Anjum Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, a banned terrorist organization. Sadique had denounced Ibrahim before a local court as an "enemy of Islam" who should be killed. Local Christians are firmly convinced that these four men are innocent and that the real killers are being protected.

  Pray that the truth will prevail and that those responsible for this attack will be convicted. Pray for strength for these men as they face the upcoming trial.

• Christians Blamed for Killing Priest

  On the early morning of July 5, Roman Catholic priest, Fr. George Ibrahim was gunned down by six assailants in the courtyard of his home. The murder came after Fr. Ibrahim had faced death threats since the school he ran had been turned over by the government to the control of the church. According to the priest's cook Pervez Pyara who witnessed the shooting, Ibrahim had received threats from the former principal of a girls' school, Shahzina Sadique, whose husband is reported to be president of the local chapter of Anjum Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, a banned terrorist organization.

  Despite the testimony of Pyara that Fr. Ibrahim had been specifically targeted, police have arrested three local Christians and a Muslim, saying that Ibrahim was killed in a robbery attempt. The three Christians, Sharif Masih, Naimat Masih, and Aslam Masih, as well as Mohammed Afzel, a Muslim repeat-offender burglar, deny any involvement in the crime. There have been no formal charges, though they have been held since July 9.

  On September 4, the Catholic Church's National Justice and Peace Commission (NJPC) filed a petition on behalf of those arrested. The presiding judge has ordered the police to reinvestigate. Speaking to Compass Direct, a Catholic Church source said, "Everyone knows who is the person responsible for this murder. There are known groups of fundamentalist Muslims behind this, but the government and the police are afraid of them."

  Pray for justice for those arrested and that those responsible for this murder will be convicted. Pray that the police and courts will be willing to act with fairness, in spite of pressure and threats from powerful organizations.

• Prison Sentences Upheld for Two Christians

  The Voice of the Martyrs learned late last week that a Pakistani court has upheld the conviction and life sentence of two Christians accused of blasphemy against the Koran. In February 1999, Jhang Amjad and Asif Masih were arrested on charges of vagrancy. While in police custody, authorities claim that they set fire to a copy of the Koran. Amjad and Asif claim that the police officers set fire to the book themselves because they refused to pay a bribe.

  However, the Lahore High Court has agreed with the prosecution, saying that, "The act of the accused was calculated to outrage the religious feelings of the Muslim(s)." The court also said, "There is not even a remote possibility that the police officials who were all Muslims could willfully dare or even think of desecrating the Holy Quran in the manner it was done." It is expected that the decision will be appealed to Pakistan's Supreme Court.

  Please pray for Amjad and Asif, as well as their families. Pray for protection in prison and for a successful appeal. Family members of those convicted of blasphemy regularly face discrimination and threats. Pray for protection and strength for their families.

• Blasphemy Trial Begins

  On July 17, court proceedings began against Pervez Masih, a schoolmaster of a Christian school charged under Pakistan's controversial blasphemy law. Pervez has been in prison since April 1, 2001 when the schoolmaster of a neighbouring Muslim school filed blasphemy charges against him, saying that two students had heard Masih blaspheme Mohammed. A fact-finding report in 2001 concluded that the charges were based on "professional biases and rivalry, including religious hatred" and were without any factual basis. According to Compass Direct, Pervez's family has hired a Muslim lawyer to represent him before the High Court. Pray that the truth will come out in the trial and that Pervez will be cleared of all charges. Pray for his health and safety in prison.

• Catholic Priest Murdered at Home

  Father George Ibrahim was brutally murdered in the early hours of July 5 as six armed assailants entered his home in Renala Khord and shot him and his parish assistant. Local police are claiming that the attack was a robbery but church leaders believe that Father Ibrahim was murdered and his assistant wounded because of the government's decision last fall to return a former Catholic school to Ibrahim's parish after thirty years of state control. When the Supreme Court declared in the early 1990's that the forced nationalization of Pakistan's Urdu-language schools in 1972 had been unconstitutional, private school owners began to apply for the return of the schools. Government-employed teachers and administrators, and militant Muslim groups have often opposed such applications. Shahbaz Bhatti, head of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, told VOM that Father Ibrahim had been receiving death threats and that there are militant Islamic groups in the area who do not want Christians to be prosperous. Private schools run by Christians are typically seen as offering superior education to state or Islamic schools. Christian schoolmaster Pervez Masih was accused of blasphemy in 2001 by a rival Muslim schoolmaster because of the success and popularity of Pervez's school.

  Pray that those responsible for this murder will be brought to justice. Pray for Christian schools and their administrators and teachers in Pakistan. Pray that God would give them strength and courage as they faithfully serve Him.