BREAKING NEWS: Taliban Threatens To Kill More Christians
Saturday, October 17, 2009 (4:40 am)
By Worthy News Chief International Correspondent Stefan J. Bos
SARGODHA, PAKISTAN (Worthy News)-- Fighters linked to the militant Taliban group have threatened to kill Christians and burn their homes in Pakistan's Punjab province if they don't meet their demands.
In a letter sent to the Christian community in the northeastern city of Sargodha, Taliban militants said Christians should convert to Islam, pay an Islamic tax imposed on religious minorities, known as 'Jizya tax', or leave the country.
If Christians refuse to accept these choices, Christians “will be killed, their property and homes will be burnt to ashes and their women treated as sex slaves,” said the letter, which was distributed to Worthy News and its partner agency BosNewsLife by rights group International Christian Concern (ICC). The Christians “themselves would be responsible for this,” the letter added.
News of the statement emerged as Pakistan's army prepared for a ground offensive elsewhere in Pakistan, in South Waziristan, following a string of brazen attacks, believed to be part of a Taliban campaign, that killed more than 150 people in the last two weeks.
IN CROSS-FIRE
Christians have been in the cross-fire or directly targeted by Islamic militants with links to the Taliban and al-Qaida. Militants have accused them of representing an evil Western religion and of supporting the U.S.-led war on terror.
It was not immediately clear which faction within the Taliban sent the threatening letter, but local Christian leaders apparently took the statement seriously.
Reverend Zaheer Khan, pastor of Maghoo Memorial Church, Reverend Aamir Azeem, pastor of United Christians Church and Reverend Zafar Akhter, pastor of United Presbyterian Church apparently each received a copy of threatening letter.
Other Christian institutions reportedly included St Peter’s Middle School, the Sargodha Institute of Technology, Sargodha Catholic High School, St John's Primary School and Fatima Hospital.
Besides these Christian institutions, the letter was also sent to a key center of Shiite Muslims, the Immam-Bar-Gha, ICC said. Shiites are a minority Muslim group in Pakistan where the majority of the population is Sunni Muslim.
"SOFT TARGETS"
ICC representative Jonathan Racho told Worthy News in a statement that "Christians in Pakistan are soft targets for attacks by Islamic extremists. Over the past four months alone, 12 Christians have been killed by Muslims due to their faith."
Racho said ICC has been “alarmed by the increase in attacks against Christians in Pakistan. We urge Pakistani officials to take the threatening letters seriously and take measures to protect the Christians and their institutions from attacks.”
ICC said it had urged Christians around the world to contact Pakistani embassies in their countries and express concern about the situation.
- Pakistan army troops prepare to leave for patrolling during a curfew in Bannu, October 17, 2009. Via VOA News
SARGODHA, PAKISTAN (Worthy News)-- Fighters linked to the militant Taliban group have threatened to kill Christians and burn their homes in Pakistan's Punjab province if they don't meet their demands.
In a letter sent to the Christian community in the northeastern city of Sargodha, Taliban militants said Christians should convert to Islam, pay an Islamic tax imposed on religious minorities, known as 'Jizya tax', or leave the country.
If Christians refuse to accept these choices, Christians “will be killed, their property and homes will be burnt to ashes and their women treated as sex slaves,” said the letter, which was distributed to Worthy News and its partner agency BosNewsLife by rights group International Christian Concern (ICC). The Christians “themselves would be responsible for this,” the letter added.
News of the statement emerged as Pakistan's army prepared for a ground offensive elsewhere in Pakistan, in South Waziristan, following a string of brazen attacks, believed to be part of a Taliban campaign, that killed more than 150 people in the last two weeks.
IN CROSS-FIRE
Christians have been in the cross-fire or directly targeted by Islamic militants with links to the Taliban and al-Qaida. Militants have accused them of representing an evil Western religion and of supporting the U.S.-led war on terror.
It was not immediately clear which faction within the Taliban sent the threatening letter, but local Christian leaders apparently took the statement seriously.
Reverend Zaheer Khan, pastor of Maghoo Memorial Church, Reverend Aamir Azeem, pastor of United Christians Church and Reverend Zafar Akhter, pastor of United Presbyterian Church apparently each received a copy of threatening letter.
Other Christian institutions reportedly included St Peter’s Middle School, the Sargodha Institute of Technology, Sargodha Catholic High School, St John's Primary School and Fatima Hospital.
Besides these Christian institutions, the letter was also sent to a key center of Shiite Muslims, the Immam-Bar-Gha, ICC said. Shiites are a minority Muslim group in Pakistan where the majority of the population is Sunni Muslim.
"SOFT TARGETS"
ICC representative Jonathan Racho told Worthy News in a statement that "Christians in Pakistan are soft targets for attacks by Islamic extremists. Over the past four months alone, 12 Christians have been killed by Muslims due to their faith."
Racho said ICC has been “alarmed by the increase in attacks against Christians in Pakistan. We urge Pakistani officials to take the threatening letters seriously and take measures to protect the Christians and their institutions from attacks.”
ICC said it had urged Christians around the world to contact Pakistani embassies in their countries and express concern about the situation.
Copyright 2009 Worthy News. All rights reserved.
This is an open forum. Any opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of Worthy News, or its parent ministry Worthy Ministries.
Increase
Decrease
“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” Joel 2:32
Christians need to leave Pakistan, this is the will of G-d. They must raise their voice and tell the Pakistani Government that, “Let our people go.” If they will not speak and leave G-d will use these evil terrorist and put them in such conditions that they will have no other choice.
Can we send such emails and news to government leaders and members of parliaments and congresses, so that they can come forward to assist christians, especially those who get a chance to flee from persecution and seek asylum in their countries, and urge them on to take action before the worst happens.
Dear friends in Pakistan,
We are praying here in Peru for you. Jesus promised to be with us until the end of the world. He is not with you because we are praying but He promised.