Pakistan is alleging ”foreign interference” in the recent rampage that saw at least 21 churches and 40 homes of Christians burned down, as well as six people killed.
Anadolu News Agency reports:
Pakistani police on Monday accused the “enemy” country’s intelligence agency of being involved in recent violence against Christians and burning of churches in the northeastern Punjab province.
Addressing a news conference in the provincial capital Lahore, Punjab police chief Usman Anwar said the police arrested three key “conspirators” allegedly involved in triggering violence against Christians.
Violent mobs attacked churches and homes of Christian residents in Jaranwala town after a Christian man was accused of desecrating Islam’s holy book, the Quran, earlier this month.
Yet Pakistan did not identify the source of this alleged “foreign interference.” It is likely that Pakistani officials are attempting to deflect attention elsewhere to escape further scrutiny and calm the global outcry from human rights groups.
Not long after the attacks, Pakistan made a public show of condemning the mob violence and even handed out cash to Christians who lost their homes in the attack. Pakistan is likely also sending the message to its restive Muslim population, via its deceptive show of good will, to delay further attacks until the international scrutiny dies down.
How serious is Pakistan, or honest in condemning the savage attack? Just before the massive anti-Christian riots, Pakistan passed two laws to increase its already harsh punishments for blasphemy and ostensibly encourage even further persecution of Christians. A Pakistani official then brazenly told British High Commissioner Jane Marriott a few days ago that “Islam guarantees the protection of minority rights.” The whole world knows about Pakistan’s state-sanctioned persecution of Christians and Ahmadis (who are not deemed Muslims in Pakistan). As Muhammad said, “War is deceit” (Bukhari 4.52.269) .
The bottom line is that Pakistan’s blasphemy laws encourage the persecution of Christians. Given the extreme violence that erupted in mid-August, Christians in Pakistan are living in fear. They know all too well the seething hatred toward them, no matter what impression Pakistan now deceptively tries to give the world. Those affected still continued to hold Sunday services at desecrated churches.
Meanwhile, 50 people held a “prayer sit-in in front of the Embassy of Pakistan in Rome on Saturday, Aug. 26.” According to the publication Evangelical Focus:
For years the Italian Evangelical Alliance has also supported the persecuted church with prayer sit-ins in front of the embassies of countries where Christians suffer threats or harassment.
This is a public form of witness that puts together prayer and visible action of support, which often results in direct contact with the country’s authorities.”
Pakistan will continue to enforce its laws that encourage mob violence against Christians, and as usual in the face of Christian persecution, the outrage over the recent attacks will die down until the next time around.
Walter Sieruk says
There has to be something wrong with a religion that, even in modern times, requires that its followers use savage murderous violence of brutal force against people who are of another faith, In case Christians.
The violent and deadly might is used to oppose Christian’s does reveal that the religion of Islam doesn’t have an rational any sound Bible based reasons to uphold it. Likewise, such cruel malicious violence engaged in by jihad-minded Muslims further shows that a firm belief in Islam isn’t based on reason or logic but instead malice-filled emotions and murderous feelings of hate.
The bloody violent and deadly essence of Islam against Christians, and people of other religions as Judaism. Is seen in the instructions found in the Qu ran. For example in Surah 9:123 it reads “O you who believe ! Fight those of the disbelievers who are close to you and let them find harshness in you…”
Walter Sieruk says
All this Islamic/demonic inspired violence against those Christians of Pakistan despicable..
Some Muslim s ,as seen in Pakistan, even hate Christians so much that they even become violence against them and burn their Bibles. One reason for this is that in the mosques and madrasas the Muslim clerics, as the imams who speak many awful and unproven terrible things against Christians and Christian doctrine. So much so the many Muslims get all worked up against Christians and Christian teachings and some those Muslims commit violent actions against Christians. Such false religious teachers, as those Muslim clerics, who speak to people unfounded and invalid evil things about Christians and Christian doctrines have been described in the Bible. For the Bible informs the reader in Second Peter 2:12. “They speak evil of things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption.” [N.K.J.V.]
It also should be make clear that in this specific above Bible verse, as well as in John 3:16. The word “Perish” does not mean loss of being but loss of well-being. As in going to ruin by ending up in languishing in torment in a terrible place of suffering that the Bible calls hell. Luke 16:19-31.
Walter Sieruk says
As in the days of Nehemiah when he and his men were busy in the reconstruction of the walls around Jerusalem and the Arab became furious and indigent at this at this grand project of the rebuilding of the walls. Neh 4:1 and they thus despised the Jews , Neh. 4:4 ,and schemed terrorist attacks against them.
So the Jewish men set up watch for such attacks, Neh 4:8, therefore ,on this watch they set up guards to be ready for those terrorists attacks , Neh 4;16.
Likewise, in this twenty –first century in areas of the world, as in the nation of Pakistan , Christians need to be “on watch and stand firm” First Corinthians 16:13.,as to be on guard from jihad-minded Muslim terrorist attacks against Christians .
For Christians together compose the symbolic body of Christ, Ephesians 1:13. 5:30.
Furthermore, it should be made known that the Muslim terrorists who engage in the persecution of Christians will not get away from the punishment of God for their wicked actions. As seen in Romans 14: 12. First Corinthians 3: 16, 17. Galatians 6:7.
Christians are instructed to “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”
First Corinthians 16:13. [N.K.J.V.]
Hoi Polloi says
As the pope spends his time attacking American conservatives. Because we all know defending Christians is no concern of his.
Gourdhead says
There is not a thing in the world wrong with Pakistan that a buttload of MOAB’s would not cure.