Terrorism Against Pakistani Christians

Terrorism against Christianity at village of Kasur Bamani Wala Punjab Pakistan .

Islamabad: July 2, 2009. (CPM) Christian progressive movement is a political movement of Pakistan that supports persecuted Christians in Pakistan, has come out to condemn the attack this week on a Christian village in Kasur district.

According to the fact finding team sent by the chairperson of Christian progressive movement to the village, Bamani wala, was attacked by radical Muslims on 1st of July 2009 after a local Muslim cleric accused Christians of blaspheming against Islam’s holy prophet Muhammad and encouraged local Muslims to kill them.

A mob of Muslims reportedly responded to the cleric’s call by going on the rampage in Bamani wala, home to around 300 Christian families. There they demolished and burned down around 120 houses, other houses were looted and vandalized. Jewels and other precious household items of 15 million rupees (approximately) from their houses were looted by Muslim assassins.

The attackers also assaulted many of the women and young girls in the village made to run through the village naked and raped.

Attackers also threw acid on the faces of women and young girls.

Police and some government officials have visited the village in the wake of the attack but police have still not registered a case against the men identified by the Christian villagers as the attackers.

Ms Naila J. Dayal, chairperson (CPM) said, it was imperative that the government take greater action to ensure the safety of Pakistani religious minorities. She urged the government to repeal the country’s draconian blasphemy laws which are frequently misused by Muslims to settle personal scores with Christians.

Bamani wala is not the first Christian village to be attacked. In 1997, thousands of Christian homes and several churches were burned down in the Christian village of Shanti Nagar; hundreds were injured in that attack, while Christian girls were raped and abducted. There had never been any arrest in connection with that attack.

Ms Naila J. Dayal commented in a protest in front of press club Islamabad in the presence of print and electronic media and other political and officials on 2nd of July 2009: “It is a very sad and distressing situation as Christians in Pakistan are under attack; they don’t feel secure in their own country simply because they are Christians. The government’s reaction is also very disappointing. We have made it aware of these incidents and yet it has failed to take the appropriate action. It is the government’s duty to protect its citizens and now is the time to pass legislation that will stop the misuse of the blasphemy law and prevent any further attacks on Christians.”

Further she said, “Christian Progressive Movement is a representative block of Christian community working on the agenda of voice rising of brutally treated people of Christian community by Police, Religious clerics and against religious prejudice."

It is humble request to you that please request the government of Pakistan to take strict action against these anti-Christianity elements and to ask the Government to file the case against these terrorist attackers. It is not an incident, it is a terrorist attack. Thanks.

You’re truly
Saqib Malik

Coordinator Christian Progressive Movement-Islamabad
Flat # 12, Nasir Janjwa Plaza, Iqbal Town, Islamabad Highway, P.O. Box 1341, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Ph: 051-2526165
Fax: 051-2612125
cpmpak@yahoo.com, www.cpm.org.pk