ICC Note:
Last week, a pastor in Lahore, Pakistan was beaten by a police officer after a Muslim neighbor complained about the noise produced by the church’s worship service. When the police came to investigate the matter, they barged into the church and disrupted the service. When the pastor of the church told the police they were disrupting their service, the police officer beat the pastor in front of his followers. Christians in Pakistan are often considered second class citizens because of their religious identity. This means that Christians face widespread discrimination and outright persecution in Pakistan.
6/20/2016 Pakistan (Christians in Pakistan) – Police barged into the United Christian Church in Lahore, Pakistan last Sunday, and brutally attacked the lead pastor in response to a complaint about alleged noise levels from the church’s sound system.
Head Constable Amir Abdullah entered the Fazila colony church on Sunday morning and started verbally abusing the worshipers, demanding they halt the service, according to Pakistan Christian Post. Abdullah said that he had received a call from Shabir Shah, a Muslim man who complained that the church was misusing the loud speaker.
When lead pastor Riaz Rehmat asked Abdullah not to disturb them, the head Constable reportedly went up to the podium and began manhandling and beating him violently. The congregation became very upset and Christians later staged a protest on Ferozepur Road and blocked traffic.
Nasir Saeed, director of U.K.-based charity Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLASS) that helps persecuted Christians in Pakistan, called the attack “shameful.”
“The police hardly care about the Christians’ religious sentiments and often violate their right of religious freedom,” Saeed said.
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