|
PAKISTAN: Christians Warned to Convert
|
John Henry
|
May 18, 2007 22:23 PDT
|
Pakistani Christians Warned to Convert
May 16, 2007
By Munir Ahmad
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Christians in a Pakistani town beset by
pro-Taliban militants sought government protection Wednesday, the eve of
a deadline for them to convert to Islam or face violence.
About 500 Pakistani Christians in Charsadda, a town in the North West
Frontier Province bordering Afghanistan, received letters earlier this
month telling them to close their churches and convert by Thursday or be
the target of "bomb explosions."
Several Christians, a tiny minority in the predominantly Muslim country,
have fled town and others are living in fear, community leaders
said.
Some complained that police were not taking the threat
seriously.
"Police say someone is joking with us by writing these
letters," Chaudhry Salim, a Charsadda Christian leader, said during
a news conference in Islamabad. "They have deployed only two
policemen at our churches ... this is the kind of security we are getting
now."
Shahbaz Bhatti, a prominent Christian leader and head of the All Pakistan
Minorities Alliance, said the provincial government, which is controlled
by a coalition of pro-Taliban religious parties, would bear blame for
attacks after the deadline.
Bhatti also urged Muslim religious scholars to condemn the threats and
said the federal government should take "concrete steps to provide
protection" to Christians.
Asif Daudzai, a spokesman for the provincial government, asked Christians
not to panic, saying authorities were doing all they could to ensure
their protection.
"Christians are our brothers and sisters, and we will not allow any
one to harm them," he told The Associated Press.
Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and other religious minorities make up about 3
percent of Pakistan's 160 million residents.
Most live peacefully alongside the Muslim majority, although the groups
have been targeted repeatedly in attacks blamed on extremists since the
country allied itself with the United States after the Sept. 11, 2001,
attacks.
Islamic radicals trying to impose Taliban-style social edicts in
northwestern Pakistan are growing bolder, bombing shops selling Western
films, threatening barbers for trimming beards and warning hotels to
remove televisions from guest rooms.
Minorities and secular opposition parties say the government is doing too
little to counter the "Talibanization" of growing swaths of the
country.
Associated Press Writer Riaz Khan in Peshawar contributed to this
report.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070516/D8P5MI0O0.html
-------------------------------
"Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them
which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body."
(Hebrews 13:3)
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall
revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against
you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great
is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were
before you." (Matthew 5:10-12)
Fair Use Notice: This message contains copyrighted material the
use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. The moderator is making it available in an effort to advance
understanding scriptural, political, and social justice issues, etc. The
moderator believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of this copyrighted
material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In
accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material is distributed
without profit to those who have by subscribing to this eGroup have
expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational
purposes. It must not be used for profit!
The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the opinions of
the moderator.
TO UNSUBSCRIBE GO TO:
http://groups.LandmarkBibleBaptist.net
THIS MESSAGE IS ARCHIVED AT:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Persecution-Watch
|
|
 |
|
