Christians in Pakistan Protest Government’s Lack of Aid

ICC Note:
Christians in Pakistan have staged a protest, claiming that the government has ignored their needs after being made homeless by mobs of angry Muslims. On March 9th, mobs rampaged through the Christian neighborhood of Joseph’s Colony and burned down as many Christian homes as they could find. Since then, Christians have been living in refugee like conditions. The government promised to aid the Christians, but so far, no aid has been forthcoming. 
3/30/2013 Pakistan (Niti Central) – Residents of a Christian neighbourhood in this eastern Pakistani city staged a protest against the Government for not giving them compensation after their homes were vandalised and torched by a mob of Muslims earlier in March.
Holding placards, dozens of Christians, including women and children, shouted slogans against the Government for failing to give them the compensation that was announced over two weeks ago for the victims of the attack on Joseph Colony.
A mob of thousands had torched around 200 homes of Christians at Joseph Colony after a Muslim man accused a Christian sanitation worker of blasphemy.
Though no one was injured in the attack, scores of families were left homeless. Local residents and police officials said the Muslim man had made the accusation after a drunken quarrel with the Christian.
“We are being deprived of the compensation even though our names are enlisted among the victims,” Bashiran Bibi said during Friday’s protest. She said the mob had burnt her house and it was yet to be rebuilt despite a promise made by the Government.
The Punjab Government claims it has rebuilt about 100 houses so far, but they are yet be handed over to the Christians.
“All the victims are still living in tents,” Bashiran Bibi said.
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