Christian Domestic Worker Killed…by Muslim employer

Pakistan (MNN) — On May 6, an impoverished 17-year-old Christian Pakistani girl, serving in domestic work, was killed by her Muslim employer. The reason for the monstrous murder—‘not cleaning properly’.

Teen Killed by Employer

The victim, Kainat Masih, lived in Gujranwala in the Punjab province where she had worked since she was a kid, as a live-in maid for a Muslim family. On the day of her death, her father had come to her employer’s home to visit with her, a rare occurrence in these situations.

The funeral procession for Kainat Masih. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

Upon arrival, her father saw Masih’s arms and legs were being held down by her employer, his wife, two other men, and a woman. Masih was being strangled by a rope tied around her neck. Masih’s helpless father pleaded with these people to not kill his daughter, but to no avail.

The grotesqueness of the situation doesn’t end there. The 17-year-old had been raped by all three of these men. In fact, she had been raped for years by her employer.

Masih’s murder is currently under investigation. No arrests have been made, and none are expected to be since Masih’s employer, Asif Ismail, is the son of a local political party leader, Ismail Gujjar.

“The Christians in Pakistan, for the most part, are a very impoverished community. They’re a sliver of the demographics that make up Pakistan, as a minority. And so they often feel like there’s nothing for them in society,” FMI’s Bruce Allen explains.

“They’re discriminated against in terms of education and therefore in terms of employment. So sometimes having a job as domestic help, a housekeeper, a maid, that’s all that they can think is their lot in life.”

Minorities and Discrimination

Christians are treated as third-class citizens in Pakistani society. In the Muslim majority, there are hardly second thoughts when it comes to beating, raping, and even killing the help for no reason other than disliking them. Since this type of work is almost thought of as a “destiny” for these individuals, many domestic workers accept the sexual exploitation that often comes with it. Stories like Masih’s, which feature the abuse and even death, are not uncommon in Pakistan.

The only requirement for someone entering domestic work is to be an underage girl. Combine this with the fact domestic workers are live-in servants available to the family 24/7, there’s a lot of room for abuse to happen.

“Some of the most recent data that I could find was from the end of 2016, early 2017…more than 12.5 million children in Pakistan are involved in child labor. And if we look at just the number of kids under the age of 10, it’s 6 million,” Allen recalls.

Most of the children who are represented in these statistics come from minority families. Their work, like Masih’s, involves housekeeping duties in Muslim homes and frequent abuse. Allen says what happened to Masih is “the tip of the iceberg as far as the plight for Christian youth in Pakistan.”

Because of the poverty minority families face, parents sell their children as domestic house workers. The act smells of human trafficking– because it is. Oftentimes there is a middleman who brokers the deal. Parents usually do not know who their child is sold to, or where their child will work. For many of these families, selling their kid means one less mouth to feed and they receive their child’s wages.

Mentality Behind Selling Children

Still, how can a Christian family rationalize selling their child into domestic work? Well, just because someone wears a Christian label does not mean there’s a true faith in Christ. Plus, sometimes ‘Christian’ isn’t defined as a follower of Christ. In Pakistan, the term Christian can just mean ‘not Muslim.’ In fact, people in Pakistan are considered to be born into their religion, it’s not a personal faith. Therefore, some Pakistanis ethnically consider themselves Christian.

Kainat Masih’s funeral process and burial in Gujranwala, Pakistan. The fact that her body was wrapped in a fabric shroud indicates her family’s poverty; they could not afford even the simplest coffin. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

Add into the mix how most Christians are discriminated against in terms of education, and there’s a severe lack of knowledge–particularly of God’s teachings and promises.

Furthermore, Christians, both true believers and ethnic ones, have little hope in the Pakistani government for protection or help. Even if individuals in the government desire to create and pass legislation which benefits Christians, it more than likely would not or be enforced on a local level.

Alleviating Domestic Work Option

But, FMI’s Pakistan partners are trying to alleviate some of the pains of poverty. That’s because the problem is also a spiritual one. Churches in Pakistan disproportionately have more women than they do men. Since men are not supposed to address a woman who is not a relative, women in the church often go undiscipled and usually lack the ability to read a Bible on their own.

With that said, many of these churches have had quantitative growth, not qualitative growth. This birthed discussion between FMI and national leadership teams on how to address the spiritual needs of women.

“And a lot of it came down to some very practical things, such as so many of the women are involved in these poor employment situations where they are beaten and abused, we need to address those issues as well,” Allen says.

“One of the things that I was so encouraged by on my most recent trip into Pakistan was, for lack of a better word, a creative solution to this dilemma of outreach to women, and getting them out of these low-paying, abusive jobs in Muslim homes…Pastor Harris said, let’s set up a sewing and literacy center as an outreach specifically to women.”

Women’s Outreach

FMI gave five manually operated sewing machines, bolts of cloth, and Bibles for this outreach. Each six-month class enrolls twelve women, and there’s not a lack of women wanting to take the class. Rather, there’s a lack of resources to enroll all of the women who want to take the class. The classes meet daily.

Women’s sewing and literacy outreach class in Pakistan (Photo Courtesy of FMI)

“They’re being trained in sewing skills so that they can become seamstresses out of their own homes. So, we’ve changed the work environment for them, they’re in a safer place. It’s a job that is in demand locally, so their income is better,” Allen explains.

Plus, these women are learning to read and the Bible is their textbook. This means they’re also being fed spiritually. And for many of these women, even just the literacy training is a huge step forward, especially for their faith. It opens the door for them to dig deeper into God’s word, mature through studying, and equips them to better share their faith and the Gospel message with other women.

“It’s transforming their lives because they’re having great fellowship with other Christian women. It’s changing their own life spiritually, and that’s spilling over into family life. In terms of couples, and the parents and their children praying together, reading the Bible together,” Allen shares.

Be Prayerful, Be Active

Pray for Christian Pakistani leaders to have a good grasp on what’s happening in their society and the needs of their congregations and neighbors. Also, pray for their ability and understanding to equip their congregations to respond to the needs around them as well as living out God’s values in their society.

And please, pray for the women and children who are trapped in abusive situations and employment. Ask that God would bring together the resources for more churches to start their own sewing and literacy outreaches to women, and that these women wouldn’t just be lifted out of these terrible environments, but that they’d see God’s hand in the process.

Another way to tangibly help is by donating to FMI’s ‘Tangible Resources’ fund to help provide the sewing machines, Bibles, and cloth for the outreaches. A gift of $150 provides one sewing machine and bolts of fabric. For $6, a Bible can be provided in the local language.

“We need to care for those who are the vulnerable ones in our societies and especially in our churches,” Allen says.

Christian Woman Brutally Killed for Refusing to Marry Muslim

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A young Christian woman has died in Pakistan's second largest city Lahore after she was disfigured with acid and set alight for refusing to marry a Muslim man, Christians and rights activists confirmed Tuesday, April 24.

Asma Yacoob, a 25-year-old beautician, was reportedly attacked two weeks ago by Rizwan Gujjar, who is 30 because she turned down his marriage proposal. "Asma was friendly to Rizwan because he was her brother’s friend...But when Gujjar proposed marriage three months ago, she refused his advances," said the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS), which supports persecuted Christians.

The problems began on April 10 when Asma provided her beautician services to a bride outside Lahore in Pak Pura town in the Sialkot area, according to Christians with close knowledge about the situation.

"At around 11 pm [local time] she was told her brother had arrived and wanted to speak to her," CLAAS said. "But when Asma went to the courtyard she saw Gujjar instead of her brother. He instantly threw large amounts of acid on her and then set her on fire before running away," the group added.

The injured woman was in nearby Civil Hospital before being transferred to Mayo Hospital in Lahore, where she died some 11 days later, BosNewsLife learned.

MAN DETAINED

Police have detained Gujjar, but it was not immediately clear Tuesday, April 24, when and if he will face a court. BosNewsLife mentioned the suspect's name after publicly identified by several sources.

Nasir Saeed, director of CLAAS-UK, told BosNewsLife that her death underscores "a real picture" of the treatment faced by Christians in Pakistan.

Christian girls, he said, are looked upon as "inferior and as a commodity" and receive no respect from society. “They are often harassed and intimidated at their workplace. They are often asked to convert to Islam and to marry Muslim colleagues."

If they refuse they face dire consequences, he added. "Sometimes they are kidnaped and forcibly converted to Islam, and sometimes they are attacked with acid."

Pakistan is a mainly Muslim nation where minority Christians are often targets for alleged blasphemy against Islam.
http://www.bosnewslife.com/38620-pakistan-christian-killed-for-refusing-to-marry-muslim

Islamic Teacher 'Defiles' 4-Year-Old on Floor of Mosque…

A 31- year -old Islamic teacher, Sulaimon Anisere, who allegedly defiled a four- year- old girl was on Tuesday remanded at Kirikiri Prisons by an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court. 

Rape The plea of the accused was not taken as Magistrate Mrs. B.O. Osunsanmi, ordered that Anisere be  kept behind bars pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). 

“Based on the sensitivity of the case, it is difficult to grant bail. Bail would be at the discretion of the court. “The Case file should be documented and sent to the office of  DPP for advice,” she said. Anisere, who resides at Ipaja, Lagos, is being tried for defilement. 

Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, told the court that the accused committed  the offence in 2017 at his mosque. He said the accused, on several occasion, had canal knowledge of the girl.” Ayorinde said that the accused always had sex with the minor whenever she went for Arabic lesson. “Whenever the minor comes to the mosque, the accused calls her inside, laid her on the floor and had sex with her. 

“He warned her not to tell anybody but the girl later told her teacher in school who reported and the accused was  arrested,” the prosecutor said. The offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015(Revised). Section 137 prescribes life in prison on conviction. The case was adjourned until July 9 for mention

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/islamic-teacher-remanded-prison-allegedly-defiling-minor/

QURAN NA BIBLIA VYATHIBITISHA UISLAM NI DINI YA USIKU WA GIZA

Maana ya lailatul Qadri kisheria ni: USIKU wa cheo wenye baraka unao patikana katika siku za witri ndani ya kumi la mwisho la mwezi mtukufu wa ramadhani. Ni USIKU ambao imeshuka ndani yake Qur ani.

( إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ )

القدر (1) Al-Qadr

Hakika Sisi tumeiteremsha Qur'ani katika Laylatul Qadri, USIKU wa Cheo Kitukufu.

Hivi kwanini Allah anapenda sana kufanya mambo yake USIKU na sio MCHANA?

Kufanya ibada ndani ya USIKU huu ni bora kulikoni miezi elfu moja: (Laylatul Qadri ni bora kuliko miezi elfu) Qur ani 97:3

Biblia inakujibu kuwa Shetani ni Mkuu wa Giza na huyo ndie aliye iteremsha Quran wakati wa USIKU/GIZA.

Waefeso 6: 12 “Kwa maana kushindana kwetu sisi si juu ya damu na nyama; bali ni juu ya falme na mamlaka, juu ya wakuu wa GIZA hili, juu ya majeshi ya pepo wabaya katika ulimwengu wa roho.”

YESU ANASEMAJE KUHUSU NURU?

YOHANA 3:19
19: Na hili ndiyo hukumu; ya kuwa NURU imekuja ulimwenguni na watu wakapenda giza kuliko nuru; kwa maana matendo yao yalikuwa maovu. 20 Maana kila mtu atendaye mabaya uichukia nuru, wala haji kwenye nuru, matendo yake yasije yakakemewa.

WAEFESO.6:10-14

Uamuzi ni wako, kumfuata Allah anaye abudiwa USIKU au KUIFUATA NURU ambayo ni kumfuata Yesu Kristo Mungu Mkuu.

BIBLIA inatuonya kuwa watu watapenda GIZA/USIKU kuliko NURU.

IKUBALI NURU NA IKANE GIZA/USIKU AMBAO NI UISLAM.

Shalom,

Max Shimba mtumwa wa Yesu Kristo Mungu Mkuu. Tito 2:13

KENYA: MUSLIM CLERIC CHARGED WITH MOLESTING HIS OWN 3-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER

By Wachira Mwangi

A Muslim cleric has been charged in a Shanzu court in Mombasa with molesting his three-year-old daughter.

Mohamed Ahmed alias Ustadhi, who appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Diana Mochache, denied the charges.

The court heard that the accused defiled the minor when her mother had gone to attend to other duties away from home.

According to the charge sheet, the accused defiled the girl on diverse dates between July 2013 and 2015 at Kwa Bullo, in Kisauni Sub County, Mombasa County.

The accused faces a second charge of committing an indecent act to the minor.

The magistrate, however, declined to grant the accused bond until the minor testifies saying that cases of defilement were on the rise.

“I have lots of cases of defilement and I decline to release the accused on bond. Most times parents have been compromised and in other cases we have had parents and victims disappearing,” the magistrate said.

She ordered that the accused be remanded at the Shimo La Tewa Maximum Prison for two weeks pending the hearing of the matter.

The magistrate also ordered that the minor to be taken to a psychiatrist to determine whether she is fit to testify.

Niguse Tena By Krystaal

QURAN NA HADITH ZATHIBITISHA UTUME WA PAULO

1. UTUME WA PAULO KWA MUJIBU WA QURANI TUKUFU

Kwa kuanza naomba niwakumbushe Waislam kwambu uislamu una sifa zifuatazo. (swifat ul I’iman mufaswalu)

1. Imani juu ya Mungu.

2. Imani Juu ya Malaika wa Mwenyezi Mungu.

3. Imani juu ya Vitabu vya Mwenyezi Mungu

4. Imani juu ya Mitume wa Mwenyezi Mungu

5. Imani juu ya Kheri na Shari za Mwenyezi Mungu.

6. Imani juu ya Siku ya Mwisho.

Kwa mujibu wa Mada ya leo. Nitajikita juu ya Imani juu ya Mitume.

Waislamu wanaamini kwamba, wapo Mitume wapatao 124,000. Kati ya hao. ni 25 tu ndiyo ambao mtume Muhammad (S. A. W) aliweza kupewa habari zake. kama tunavyosoma.

[ AN-NISAAI – 164 ]
Na Mitume tulio kwisha kukuhadithia kabla yake, na Mitume wengine hatukukuhadithia. Na Mwenyezi Mungu alinena na Musa kwa maneno.

Hii inamaana kwamba Muhamad alifahamu kidogo sana kuhusu habari za mitume. yaani kama ni asilimia ni 0.0002 ya uelewa wake juu ya mitume. na huo ndio uelewa wa waislamu wote linapokuja swala la mitume. Hata hivyo. Allah s.w alikwisha kumwelekeza mtume mahala pa kupata nuru zaidi aliposema.

(YUNUS – 94)
Na ikiwa unayo shaka katika tuliyo kuteremshia, basi waulize wasomao Kitabu kabla yako. Kwa yakini imekwisha kujia Haki kutoka kwa Mola wako Mlezi. Basi usiwe miongoni mwa wenye shaka.

Hivyo kwa habari za mitume, karibia mitume wote aliosimuliwa muhammad wamo kwenye Biblia. Basi kama tulivyoona sehemu ya kwanza ya mada yetu leo twawagabarisha waislamu juu ya utume wa Paulo.

Hata hivyo ukisoma Quran kwa uangalifu utagundua kuwa Habari za Paulo zimeelezwa vizuri humo.

Chunguza aya hii.

(YA-SIN – 13-14)
Na wapigie mfano wa wakaazi wa mji walipo wafikia walio tumwa.
Tulipo watumia wawili, wakawakanusha. Basi tukawazidishia nguvu kwa mwingine wa tatu. Wakasema: Hakika sisi tumetumwa kwenu.

Aya hii inaeleza kisa cha WAJUMBE WA MWENYEZI MUNGU.
Wafasiri na wanazuoni mfano Shekhe Balwani, Yusufu Ali wamefasiri aya hii na kusema mji huo walikotumwa wajumbe ni ANTIOKIA.

Ibin Kathir katika tafsir yake anasema wajumbe hao ni Yohana, Simoni na Paulo.

Na hapa namnukuru ibn Kathir.

Imesimuliwa na Ibn Jurayj kutoka kwa Wahb bin Sulayman, imepokelewa na Shu`ayb Al-Jaba’i, “Majina wajumbe wawili wa waliotumwa mwanzo ni Simoni na Yohana na jina la wa tatu ni Paulo. Na mji huo ulikuwa Antiokia” , and the city was Antioch. Na wakasema (kwa watu wa mji huo) “hakika sisi tumetumwa kwenu kama wajumbe”, hii ina maanisha “Wajumbe kutoka kwa Allah aliyewaumba nyinyi na anayewaamrisha mumwabudu yeye peke yake na msimfanyie washirika.” Qatada amesema walikuwa ni wajumbe wa Masihi Isa bin Maryam (a.s) waliotumwa kwa watu wa Antiokia. Wakasema “Ninyi ni wanadamu kama sisi…ni kwa vipi munaweza kupokea ufunuo wakati nyie ni wanadamu na sisi tu wanadamu kama nyie, kwanini sisi hatupokei ufunuo kama nyie?” hivi ndivyo ilivyokuwa kwa watu wa mataifa mengine walivyosema ‘hatuamini’, kama vile Allah anavyotuambia katika sura ya 64:6 , as Allah has told us in the Ayah: That was because there came to them their Messengers with clear proofs, but they said: “Shall mere men guide us!” (64: 6) “Hayo ni kwa kuwa walikuwa wakiwajia mitume wao kwa hoja zilizo wazi, nao wakasema: Hivyo binadamu ndiyo atuongoe? Basi wakakufuru na wakageuka upande. Mwenyezi Mungu akawa hana haja nao…”

Hivyo twaona kuwa hoja ya kumkataa Paulo ni uzushi wa hivi karibuni. Waislamu, wasomi na Maulamaa wa kale hawakuwa na hoja hii ya kumkataa Paulo.

2. UTUME WA PAULO KWA MUJIBU WA HADITHI ZA MTUME.

Baada ya Kuona Ushahidi wa vitabu vitakatifu juu ya utume wa mtume Paulo. Sasa tugeukie hadith za mtume Muhammad. na kwa nini tugeukie hadithi? Ni kwa ushauri unaotolewa na Allah s.w ndani ya Quran yenyewe.

[ AN-NISAAI – 59 ]
Enyi mlio amini! Mt’iini Mwenyezi Mungu, na mt’iini Mtume na wenye madaraka katika nyinyi. Na mkizozana katika jambo basi lirudisheni kwa Mwenyezi Mungu na Mtume, ikiwa mnamuamini Mwenyezi Mungu na Siku ya Mwisho. Hayo ndiyo bora zaidi na ndiyo yenye mwisho mwema.

Katika kitabu kiitwacho SIRAT NABAWIYA. Kilichoandikwa na Ibn Hisham, aliyekuwa mwanafunzi wa ibn Ishak. Katika juzu ya 4 ya kitabu hicho uk 140 tunakuta Muhammad anaorodhesha majina ya Wanafunzi wa Yesu. na anawagawa katika mafungu 2. la kwanza ni wale waliomfuata wakati wa uhai wake na wale waliomfuata baada yakuwa amepaa juu. Muhammad anaeleza kila mmoja wa wanafunzi hao na mahala walikotumwa, kuhusu Paulo anaeleza kuwa Yeye alitumwa Rumi.

Na hapa namnukuru ibn Hisham.

*أسماء رسل عيسى عليه السلام*

أسماء رسل عيسى عليه السلام
قال ابن إسحاق ‏:‏ وكان من بعث عيسى بن مريم عليه السلام من الحواريين والأتباع ، الذين كانوا بعدهم في الأرض ‏:‏ بطرس الحواري ، ومعه بولس ، وكان بولس من الأتباع ، ولم يكن من الحواريين ، إلى رومية ، وأندرائس ومنتا إلى الأرض التي يأكل أهلها الناس ، وتوماس ، إلى أرض بايل من أرض المشرق ، وفيلبس إلى أرض قرطاجنة ، وهي أفريقية ؛ ويحنس إلى أفسوس ، قرية الفتية أصحاب الكهف ؛ ويعقوبس إلى أوراشلم ، وهي إيلياء قرية بيت المقدس ، وابن ثلماء إلى الأعرابية ، وهي أرض الحجاز ؛ وسيمن إلى أرض البربر ، ويهوذا ، ولم يكن من الحواريين ، جعل مكان يودس ‏.‏

Majina ya Mitume wa Yesu Masihi:

“Amesema ibh Is-hak: walikuwa mionguni mwa wanafunzi wa Yesu (amani iwe juu yake) wale waliomfuata wale waliokuwa baada yake duniani: Petro Mwanafunzi wa Yesu, na pamoja naye alikuwepo Paulo miongoni mwa wafuasi, Paulo hakuwa miongoni mwa wale wanafunzi wa Yesu. Naye (Paulo) alitumwa Rumi. Na Andrea naye alitumwa katika nchi ambayo wakazi wake wanakula watu. Na Tomaso alitumwa katika nchi ya Babeli katika nchi za mashariki. Na Philipo alitumwa katika nchi pande za Afrika, na Yohana alitumwa Efeso na Yakobo alitumwa Yerusalemu na Batholomeo alitumwa Uarabuni katika nchi ya Hijaz. Na Simoni alitumwa Baribari.”

Yashangaza kuona kuwa licha ya ushahidi mkubwa namna hii waislamu wa leo (hasa wanaharakati) wameamua kufumbia macho ukweli huu na kuanza kudanganya watu. ama kwa maksudi ama kwakutokujua. SWALI NI HILI. wanafanya hivyo kwa faida ya nani?

Rafiki yangu mwislamu, napenda kukutahadharisha kwamba, shetani ni mjanja, siku zote atakuja kwa hila akiwatukia waalimu wa uongo, wengine watakuja kana kwamba ni watetezi wa dini kumbe ndiyo waharibifu wakubwa wa dini.

Allah s.w anasema ndani ya Quran kuwaambia waislamu

[ AL – BAQARA – 136 ]
Semeni nyinyi: Tumemuamini Mwenyezi Mungu na yale tuliyo teremshiwa sisi, na yaliyo teremshwa kwa Ibrahim na Ismail na Is-hak na Yaakub na wajukuu zake, na waliyo pewa Musa na Isa, na pia waliyo pewa Manabii wengine kutoka kwa Mola wao Mlezi; hatutafautishi baina ya yeyote katika hao, na sisi tumesilimu kwake.

Unaona kwamba Allah s.w amewaagiza waislam siyo tu kuamini wale kitume 25 waliotajwa ndani ya Quran lakini pia wanapaswa kuamini w aliyoteremshiwa wajukuu wa Yakobo, PAULO PIA NI MJUKUU WA manabii YAKOBO. Lakini siyo hivyo tu, Allah s.w amewataka manabii waislamu kuamini walioteremshiwa “manabii wengine”. PAULO PIA NI MIONGONI MWA MANABII WENGINE.

Hivyo kumpinga Paulo ni kuipinga imani, kupinga Quran na Mwinsho kumpinga Allah mwenyewe. NA HUU NDIO UKAFIRI ULIOKITHIRI.

Je kuha hadithi yoyote ya Mtume mahali ambapo, Mtume aliwatahadharisha masahaba zake au Waislamu kwa ujumla juu ya Mafundisho ya Paulo?

Hapana, badala yake tunaona Muhammad yeye mwnyewe alinukuru mafundisho ya Paulo na akiuita ni ujembe kutoka kwa Mwenyezi Mungu‏

“Imesimuliwa na Abu Huraira, Mjumbe wa Allah (s.a.w) alisema; Mwenyezi Mungu kasema, ‘Nimewaandalia waja wangu ambayo jicho halijawahi kuona wala sikio halijawahi kusikia wala moyo wa mwanadamu hauwezi kuyafikiri”

Hivyo twaona kuwa hoja ya kukataa utume wa Paulo hainamsingi wa mafundisho ya vitabu vitakatifu, ni upotoshaji wa waalimu wa dini wanaotafuta masilahi yao binafsi.

Shalom,

Loud Cry Ministries by Permission

Max Shimba Ministries Org

Christians in Pakistan Village Told They Can't Have a Church…

Christians in a village in Pakistan’s Punjab province have been told to remove every visible sign of Christianity from their church, six months after being forced to sign a form pledging they would no longer hold services.

The 40 Christian families in Nayya Sarabah (Chak 336) village, part of Toba Tek Singh district near Faisalabad, haven’t held a service since before Christmas.

Muslim resident Hajji Muhammad Siddique told World Watch Monitor that, as “Muslims are in the majority in the village, we can’t allow a church here”.

“Now we are working with the civil administration to give a piece of land to Christians outside the village,” said Siddique, 73, who runs a dispensary. “When it is done, we will make the Christians write an agreement that they will sell this current church building or at least dismantle the church structure and crosses.”

“Most of the Christians of the village work as brick-kiln labourers,” he added. “It is only Rafaqat Masih, who, being a retired army personnel, is trying to be a leader and has helped build a church in the village.”

The church is run by Pastor Samuel Masih, but it is Rafaqat Masih, a union councillor for minorities, who has been at the forefront of efforts to resolve the matter.

“Muslims are in the majority in the village, so we can’t allow a church here.”

Most of the Christians are poor labourers. The church belongs to Full Gospel Assemblies, an evangelical group working in Pakistan, and was built on land belonging to 70-year-old Christian named Rafiq Masih.

“Rafiq is childless, so he bequeathed this property for the construction of a church building,” Rafaqat Masih told World Watch Monitor. “The construction began in 2012 and we had been holding worship services since then. But in December 2016 the local Muslims objected over it and filed an application against us in the local police station. At that time, a compromise was reached and we again started holding services. But, again, in December 2017, they submitted an application in the police station, after which we were called in and were told to sign an agreement.”

The police station in the nearby town of Rajana brought together Muslims and Christians of the village on 14 December 2017, and had them sign an agreement according to which the Christians would “hold religious ceremonies in their houses. There will be no programme in the church. If anyone will violate this agreement, then legal action will be taken. [Christians] will not gather in any house for a religious programme. If there will be any violation of this, legal action will be taken”.

That same month, the Muslims submitted an application to close down the church, and the local police and civil administration told the Christians that, as their church was not included on the official list of churches that must be provided with security on Sundays, they could no longer hold services.

(Due to the rise of terrorism, all gatherings in Pakistan are provided police security. Churches are provided security on Sunday or any other given day that Christians request police protection. However, in this case, the police told them that the church is not part of the authorised list of churches, so they cannot be provided security. Now, because security cannot be provided, they cannot come together. So in the name of security, they stopped the Christians from gathering in the church, and also from worshipping in any house.)

The Christians in the village have therefore not held a service this year, but have made frequent visits to the civil administration to either permit them to hold services in their church or to provide them with an alternative venue.

‘We are being forced to demolish the church’

The church has not been used since before Christmas (World Watch Monitor)

Christian and Muslim villagers were called together for another meeting on Saturday, 2 June, held in the presence of Deputy Superintendent of Police Muhammad Tahir.

After the meeting, Rafaqat Masih told World Watch Monitor: “We are being forced to demolish the existing church structure and, in lieu of this, they would let us build a church on a piece of government land outside the village which is already dedicated for a school.

“They haven’t even given any documentary proof that this piece of land would be transferred to Christians. Then another issue is that we worked for several years to construct this church building. Now who is going to pay for building from scratch?”

Masih, who runs a small shop in the village, told World Watch Monitor that he had submitted an application to the Toba Tek Singh Deputy Commissioner for including the name of the church in the list of the churches which are provided security.

“The civil administration tells us that they cannot provide us security, so it is in our benefit that they have stopped us from holding a church service,” he said.

On 22 February, the Toba Tek Singh Deputy Commissioner wrote a letter to the district police chief, a copy of which World Watch Monitor has seen, saying: “Priest (sic) Samual (sic) and others of Chak No. 336/GB (Nia Saraba) Tehsil and District Toba Tek Singh has informed the [respectable] Deputy Commissioner that they have established a church in said village and the police has not permitted them to offer their prayers… I have been directed by the [respectable] Deputy Commissioner to convey you that the tension between both the parties/communities may cause an untoward situation. In view of the sensitivity of the issue, you are requested to please look into the matter at personal level and resolve the issue, to avoid any law and order situation, which may result in disturbing the peace and tranquillity of society.”

Deputy Superintendent Muhammad Tahir told World Watch Monitor that the Christians being forced to pledge to end services was not legal. “We are trying to amicably resolve this matter,” he said.

Rasheed Jalal, a member of the district council belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, said the Christians were “not being treated equally”.

He said he had met with several senior government figures, including the Provincial Minister for Human Rights and Minority Affairs, National Assembly members and Muslim clerics, but that “nothing worked”.

“Christians are peace-loving people,” said Full Gospel Assemblies Principal Dr. Liaquat M. Qaiser. “We don’t desire any conflict. If the local Muslims do not want Christians worshipping among them, then they should provide them an alternative place. They are poor people and do not have resources to buy another place and build a church once again.”

How lack of security provision affects Pakistan’s churches

World Watch Monitor reported in December how many churches in Pakistan have been forced to close as a result of police not offering them security.

Pakistan introduced the Punjab Security of Vulnerable Establishment Ordinance in 2015 to impose security measures on worship places, including church buildings, prompted after the Army Public School in Peshawar was attacked in December 2014, when 141 people – mainly children – were killed.

The Ordinance says “that a committee, constituted under the law, will inspect vulnerable establishments on a quarterly basis and issue advice, in writing, to the manager of a vulnerable establishment for such security arrangements as may be necessary on the basis of threat perception”.

But precisely what is meant by a “vulnerable establishment” is not defined. It is quite possible that, if only a few people meet somewhere, the police may ask them to install heavy security equipment. And most small churches have been unable to meet those requirements.

Indeed, several court cases have been lodged against church leaders who had failed to put in place security measures such as metal detectors, CCTV cameras, walk-through security gates and barbed wire installed on church-boundary walls.

According to the Pakistan’s constitution, a person’s security is the responsibility of the state. The constitution also provides special protections for religious minorities in religious, social and economic matters. However, contrary to these constitutional protections, churches are often forced to provide for their own security, which is primarily the responsibility of the state.

Switzerland: HIV Positive Troglodyte Muhammadan from Pakistani Rapes Six Local Women…

A Pakistani taxi driver in Switzerland accused of crimes including abduction has been given a short jail sentence for the rape and sexual assault of six passengers.

In addition to the sexual assaults and rape, alleged to have taken place between February 2010 and March 2016, the defendant faced charges of multiple counts of attempted grievous bodily harm (GBH) at the trial on Wednesday, as he could have infected other people with HIV.

The public prosecutor’s office said that on March 26th, 2016, the father-of-five picked up an 18-year-old Australian woman as a client in the early hours of the morning, the Luzerner Zeitung reports.

Instead of driving her to the address she requested, the Pakistani stopped next to a small alleyway in Kriens and raped the teenager on the back seat of his cab, according to the indictment.

“I did something that was sh**. But I did not use force, it just happened,” the 45-year-old said when questioned over the attack in court, where he spoke through an interpreter.

http://www.breitbart.com/london/2018/06/01/hiv-pakistani-taxi-driver-rape-passengers/

'Muhammadan Faith Healer' Accused of "Mass Sexual Abuse of Minors"…

After a 5-month delay, victim testifies against alleged paedophile ‘faith healer’ of Sopore

After allegedly committing mass sexual abuse of minor boys, Aijaz Sheikh, a ‘faith healer’ from Sopore’s Mundji village had been dodging the court hearings for one or the other reason. After a five month long wait, the victims took a sigh of relief when the hearing of the case took place on Thursday. One among the survivors of the abuse, Siraj (name changed), has testified against him.

After a long wait, Siraj says, “finally the court heard the case, despite Sheikh’s attempts to further delay it.”

Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sopore, Masarat Roohi heard the case and it was she, Siraj says, who pushed Sheikh’s lawyer to cross examine him.

“Today, his (Sheikh’s) lawyer was trying not to let the case proceed. But the judge told him she would cross verify me herself if he does not. After that Sheikh went to him and then he agreed upon questioning me. He was trying to test my memory. He was asking me about my Uncle’s marriage, name of the teacher, my home etc. He was trying to confuse me but I defended,” Siraj said.

For half an hour, Siraj was questioned. He had shared his ordeal before the court after which the announcement for the next hearing was made. It is to be held on June 27.

Aijaz Sheikh has maintained that he is innocent and that all allegations against him are baseless.

Pertinently, CJM Roohi had heard the case on September 16, 2017. In the hearing, the honourable court observed that the case has taken too much time and that there are numerous statements recorded against the accused.

On April 10, Sheikh was booked in another case under Section 13 of Unlawful Activities Act. He was not presented before the court after that as well. However, Siraj alleges that ‘Sheikh is a big fish and must have arranged his arrest so this case could not be heard.’

Hopeful that the testimony of other victims would be heard soon, Siraj says that he had tried to convince other victims (his classmates) to come forward and talk about the abuse.

“They say they are married now. There is a lot of social stigma attached to it. It is hard for anyone to speak up.”

Siraj says he might have let go as well, however, he did not because Sheikh allegedly continued his abuse.

“I would have forgiven him but he continued to do with others what he did with us,” says Siraj adding, “and he is not even sorry about it. He was smiling in the court. I was wondering why!”

https://freepresskashmir.com/2018/05/31/after-a-5-month-delay-victim-testifies-against-alleged-paedophile-faith-healer-of-sopore/amp/