From social conflict to religious violence: fear of Christians in Punjab
June 27, 2013: Interfaith tension in Rahim Yar Khan, a town in Punjab. An episode
of conflict between Christians and Muslims has generated mass protests of Christians
and could escalate into open anti-Christian religious violence, partly because some
would like to turn it into a case of blasphemy. This is what Gulshan Barkat, a Pakistani
priest and missionary of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate told Fides Agency, "the situation
remains tense and uncertain" in the area of Bheel Nagar, called by Christians "Nazareth
Colony", in Rahim Yar Khan, where 250 Christian, 70 Hindu, 200 Muslim families live.
On
21 June a Catholic boy named Sam, 8 years old, was accused by a Muslim man of having
insulted his daughter. The Muslim has relatives in the extremist group "Sipah-e-Sahaba"
(banned by the government for terrorism) who went to Patras Sadeeq’s home, Sam's father,
to protest. The heated conversation degenerated into a scuffle. The Muslims called
the police who arrested Sam’s brother, Ashley, 12 years old. Following this unprovoked
act, the Christian community in the area blocked the main road of the city. Thanks
to the Catholic lawyer Qamar Iqbal, Ashley was released. At that point the Christians
decided to denounce Muslims for the attacks suffered before "these could invert the
incident in a false case of blasphemy." In the meantime, the extremists belonging
to the group "Sipa-e-Sahaba", about 100 armed men, took to the streets to put pressure
on the police. Two faithful, Maqsood Barkat and Illyas Masih, while they were on their
way to the police, they found themselves surrounded by 40 armed men, thery were beaten
and seriously injured. After the beating, Christians again took the streets, blocking
traffic and freeing the circulation only after receiving guarantees of protection
by the police. Also Fr. Francis Akuve, Catholic pastor of the Church of Santa Croce
in Rahim Yar Khan, met the local chief police, presenting a letter and asking for
a formal commitment from the police to ensure the safety of the Christians in Bheel
Nagar.
The next day there was a meeting between Christian and Muslim representatives
of the community to try to pacify the situation. According to local sources of Fides,
there is fear of violent reactions or demonstrations by the extremist group "Sipah-e-Sahaba"
against Christians.