Taliban Extracts Revenge On Pakistani Christians
You could probably have seen this coming if you were aware that Pakistan has a tiny Christian minority living in that Islamic country as I only first learned about today.
The Taliban, who have held sway over neighboring Afghanistan for decades and have been on the run thanks to American, Afghani and Pakistani forces, have decided to extract revenge against Christians living in a Karachi slum. Terrified Christians in Pakistan’s capital city have been sharing stories of home invasions where household members have been beaten and threatened with murder if they do not convert to Islam.
Persecution of Believers in Pakistan
Christians in Pakistan have long complained that their daughters are raped, churches burned and homes razed by Islamic extremists with no protection from the government. Currently, a major offensive in the Swat Valley, which is just one hundred miles from the capital is taking place pitting mostly Pakistani and Taliban fighters against each other. The Obama administration has been pressuring Pakistan to keep the pressure on the Taliban fearing that the government there could fall, losing control over that country’s nuclear stockpile to the terrorists.
Voice of the Martyrs, which was founded by the late Romanian pastor, Richard Wurmbrand, reported in February that six churches were attacked, several Christian homes burned, and a number of children injured. The Taliban invaders were heard chanting, “There is no god, only Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah” as they attacked believers who belonged to Christ United Church, Philadelphia Pentecostal Church, ARP Church, Salvation Army Church and two public churches.
Hundreds of Thousands Flee the Fighting
The United Nations has said that more than 800,000 people have fled the fighting, creating a humanitarian crisis. The Christian Post reports that Christians who have tried to enter refugee camps have been forbidden to register, with some suggesting that separate camps for Hindus, Sikh and Christians be established to keep them apart from Muslims.
Pakistan officials have promised to regain control over the area to ensure that stability is returned to the Swat Valley. Meanwhile, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, is calling for a massive aid operation and warns that the plight of the displaced people could lead to unrest.
How You Can Help
Most certainly, please pray for all of the parties caught up in this battle, but especially remember persecuted brothers and sisters who are undergoing extreme hardship for their faith in Jesus Christ.
Christian organizations active in the area include World Vision who is currently working with the Pakistani government and other aid organizations to provide relief to 200,000 displaced people. Follow updates on The Christian Post who offers an informative repository of articles about the challenges persecuted Christians are facing in Pakistan and elsewhere.
Photo ©2009 Jeff Hall/World Vision
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