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Christians protest attack on churches

MULTAN: Christians on Sunday protested against the desecration of the Holy Bible and arson attacks on their places of worship in various parts of the country, terming the incidents ‘religious terrorism’.

Special services were held for those who had died in various incidents of violence against minorities.

“It is religious terrorism to set our church (in Mian Channu) ablaze during the period when we (Christians) fast. It is an attack on our religion and belief. We feel unsafe and insecure,” said Chaudhry Naveed Amer Jeeva, MPA and the coordinator of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, South Punjab.

He said that the present regime had failed to protect churches, missionary properties and religious leaders. He said that churches had been burnt down in Sargodha and Sukkur, more than 300 copies of holy Bible were set ablaze in Sangla Hill and the cross desecrated and Christians killed in terrorist activities.

“We are peaceful people but we will not let anyone disrupt peace and make ‘Shanti Nagar’ (a Christian village near Khanewal district) a ‘Matam Nagar’. Minorities are not ‘Zimmis’ but are part of the mainstream because they took part in the Pakistan Movement,” said Fr James Chanan, the director of Pastoral Institute and United Religions Intiative Asia (URIA). Jeeva and Chanan demanded that an independent and high-powered commission be formed to pinpoint the responsibility for incidents of violence and the culprits be taken to task. They said that if the government failed to meet their demands, they would be forced to secure their places of worship and protect their religious scholars.

Meanwhile, investigations into an arson attack on a church in Mian Channu continue. “We are investigating the case and have arrested suspects but we do not have a solid lead. We are still groping in the dark,” said Farooq Mazhar Khan, the acting Khanewal district police officer. staff report

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