News

Pakistan: Armed gang attacks church, leaving Christians ‘terrified,’ cross ripped down

June 14, 2020

Persecution of Christians in Pakistan: in this case, the Protestant church’s pastor says: “From the descriptions provided to me by local people the situation was very dangerous and I feared there would be bloodshed so I called the police immediately. It was clear these would-be property usurpers were not willing to negotiate or leave our church any other way.”

The tiny community of Orthodox faithful in Pakistan is no less vulnerable to this kind of attack. The ongoing mistreatment of Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan is an issue of immense importance that nevertheless still receives scant attention from the UN or international human rights organizations.

Please continue to pray that the Christian community in Pakistan will be able to endure this martyrdom and experience a resurrection, and that relief will come to this courageous and long-suffering Christian community.

For previous ChristianPersecution.com coverage of the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, see here.

“Armed gang attack church in Pakistan leaving Christians ‘terrified’ – Cross ripped down,” by Laura O’Callaghan, Express, June 14, 2020:

CHRISTIANS in a small town in eastern Pakistan have been left “terrified” after an armed gang attacked their church, tearing down a cross and knocking over a wall.

Neighbours of Trinity Pentecostal Church in Kala Shah Kaku in Punjab province were alerted by the sound of commotion at around midnight and quickly rushed to the scene. They found a group of radical Muslim men, some of whom were locally-known gang members, armed with guns, according to reports. It is believed the mob shouted hate speech at the Christians and threatened to shoot them and set the church on fire.

By the time police arrived on the scene the culprits had fled.

Witnesses, none of whom were injured, believe the incident was an attempted land-grab….

Volunteer Hannah Chowdhry told Express.co.uk: “There were two mafia gang members who brought five or six other men with them with guns and pistols.

“They broke down the outer wall of the church. There was a cemented cross as well that they broke down and threw on the floor and they tried to break into the church.

“This happens on a regular basis and we just have to make people aware of what is happening around the world….

Pastor Samuel Hidayat recalled the phone call he received from witnesses.

He said: “From the descriptions provided to me by local people the situation was very dangerous and I feared there would be bloodshed so I called the police immediately.

“It was clear these would-be property usurpers were not willing to negotiate or leave our church any other way.”

The community suspect the gang took advantage of the coronavirus lockdown to attempt to break into the church in a bid to illegally wrestle the property from its rightful owners….