Christians flee after blasphemy accusations.
Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Chak village, Punjab in Pakistan: they’re living in fear after local Muslims accused a Christian of blasphemy.
The allegations surfaced after Imran Masih’s colleagues at the local health centre where he worked as a cleaner claimed he had been watching a controversial Christian preacher on YouTube on his mobile. Friends of Imran, who is a cleaner, say he is illiterate and could not have mastered the browser on his phone.
Angry local Muslims consulted Islamic scholars in the city of Sargodha, who issued a fatwa (Islamic decree) against Imran. When a local business man placed a bounty on Imran’s head, he fled from Chak. Muslims in the village then boycotted the 45 local Christian families, refusing to buy from or sell to them and threatening to attack their homes and churches.
Last Friday a large mob had gathered outside the mosque, apparently poised to attack Christians. Police dispersed the crowd but things remain tense. By Sunday, three-quarters of Chak’s 45 Christian families had fled. Those who stayed now have no food. Release partners are supporting Chak Christians and have called on police to step up security to protect them.
UPDATE:
Please continue to pray for grieving families and survivors of the suicide bomb blast in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, Lahore, on Easter Sunday (Prayer Alert, March 29). Release partners in Pakistan continue to visit the injured in hospital. Among those they visited last week was 18-year-old Irfan who is struggling for his life after two operations; his elder brother Sharoon died in the blast. Pray that God will save Irfan and comfort his father. (Source: Release partners)
Please forward this email to Christian friends so that they can pray and act too.
Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Chak village, Punjab in Pakistan: they’re living in fear after local Muslims accused a Christian of blasphemy.
The allegations surfaced after Imran Masih’s colleagues at the local health centre where he worked as a cleaner claimed he had been watching a controversial Christian preacher on YouTube on his mobile. Friends of Imran, who is a cleaner, say he is illiterate and could not have mastered the browser on his phone.
Angry local Muslims consulted Islamic scholars in the city of Sargodha, who issued a fatwa (Islamic decree) against Imran. When a local business man placed a bounty on Imran’s head, he fled from Chak. Muslims in the village then boycotted the 45 local Christian families, refusing to buy from or sell to them and threatening to attack their homes and churches.
Last Friday a large mob had gathered outside the mosque, apparently poised to attack Christians. Police dispersed the crowd but things remain tense. By Sunday, three-quarters of Chak’s 45 Christian families had fled. Those who stayed now have no food. Release partners are supporting Chak Christians and have called on police to step up security to protect them.
- Please pray for Imran and his fellow Christians from Chak. Pray that they will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1).
- Pray that Muslims in Chak will stand up for religious tolerance and against extremism.
- Ask God to strengthen His people in Pakistan: though they are ‘hard pressed on all sides’, pray they will not be crushed or in despair (2 Corinthians 4:8).
UPDATE:
Please continue to pray for grieving families and survivors of the suicide bomb blast in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, Lahore, on Easter Sunday (Prayer Alert, March 29). Release partners in Pakistan continue to visit the injured in hospital. Among those they visited last week was 18-year-old Irfan who is struggling for his life after two operations; his elder brother Sharoon died in the blast. Pray that God will save Irfan and comfort his father. (Source: Release partners)
Please forward this email to Christian friends so that they can pray and act too.
