Church leaders in Pakistan demand government protection after Bin Laden’s death

(May 05, 2011) In Pakistan, Church leaders in the northern city of Abbottabad on Wednesday demanded government protection in the wake of the death of Osama bin Laden which they fear will shatter the peace they have enjoyed for 10 years. “There was a not a single bombing here for about a decade of the war on terror,” said Fr. Akram Javed Gill, chairman of the interdenominational Association of Churches of Hazara Division. “Now we know the reason.”
Bin Laden, the head of terror group Al Qaeda and mastermind of the 9/11 attacks in the United States, was killed by US special forces in a raid on Monday in Abbottabad, a military garrison town.some 60 km north of Islamabad. His home was near an elite military academy and the headquarters of several important regiments. Fr. Javed said the shocking discovery has put his city in spotlight and the threat of attacks has increased. Banned extremist group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has issued a threat that military and government officials are on their hit-list. Presbyterian Church leader Zakir Paul said “We have to revisit our security strategies in a manner without attracting undue attention.” The men gathered at the house of a Christian in a meeting organized by the association. The 10 participants included representatives from Catholic, Presbyterian, evangelical and Assemblies of God Church. They discussed the Churches’ role in maintaining peace and reviewed concerns arising amid minorities. The meeting passed resolutions not to pass information over the phone, to discourage rumors and use Church venues to hold daily prayers for peace.