Muslim Mob Drags Christian Women through Streets
By Jawad Mazhar and Jeremy Sewall
04/02/09 Pakistan (International Christian Concern) - International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that Noor Husain, the father of a Muslim woman who eloped with a Christian man, led a mob of his neighbors and friends in an attack on his village's only church in Pakistan's Punjab province. After desecrating the church, the men forced their way into Christian homes, dragged out the women, and paraded them forcefully on the streets.
The assault, which occurred several months ago, so terrified the Christian community that 21 families fled, leaving only four Christian families who are still in the village.
"Petrified Christians locked their homes and fled to their relatives, living in other villages and cities, to save their lives," said Ashraf Masih, a Christian resident who has remained in the village.
Several Christians were injured, including two women whose teeth were broken.
After the incident, local politicians attempted to set up a "Peace Committee" to reconcile the two groups in lieu of requesting that the police get involved. When that effort failed, the Christians finally approached the police with a formal complaint, but as of press time police had not taken any action to prosecute the assault.
Ashraf is still hopeful that the Peace Committee will be able to work out a resolution to the conflict.
The incident occurred in Kot Lakha Singh village in Narrowal district, Punjab, Pakistan.
