An excerpt from “the targeting of ‘ Minority’ others in Pakistan”
A copy of the letter obtained by International Christian Concern (ICC) in October 2009 warned “Christians to convert to Islam, pay Jizya tax (an Islamic tax imposed on religious minorities) or leave the country. If Christians refuse[d] to accept the choices given to them, ICC has learned that … members of the Taliban”, who sent these “threatening letters in Sargodha, Pakistan, … explain[ed] that they ‘would be killed, their property and homes would be burnt to ashes and their women would be treated as sex slaves. And they themselves would be responsible for this’”.cxliv Rev. Zaheer Khan, pastor of Maghoo Memorial Church, Rev. Aamir Azeem, pastor of United Christians Church and Rev. Zafar Akhter, pastor of United Presbyterian Church, “each received a copy of this threatening letter” and, as the ICC confirms, “the Islamists sent the letters to the following Christian institutions: St. Peter’s Middle School, Sargodha Institute of Technology, Sargodha Catholic High School, St. John’s Primary School and Fatima Hospital. Besides the Christian institutions, the letter was also sent to the main Immam-Bar-Gha (Shiite Muslim’s gathering hall) … ICC’s Jonathan Racho said, ‘Christians in Pakistan are soft targets for attacks by Islamic extremists. Over the past four months alone, 12 Christians have been killed … due to their faith. We are alarmed by the increase in attacks against Christians in Pakistan”
Have you read our book?
The Targeting of ‘Minority Others’ in Pakistan?
The Targeting of ‘Minority Others’ in Pakistan is a thought provoking and path-breaking book that has been published by the British Pakistani Christian Association. It examines the shocking nature of targeting and discriminatory actions against religious, ethnic and political ‘minority Others’ in Pakistan.
