12/31/2020 Pakistan (International Christian Concern) – According to local sources in Pakistan, several Christians in Lahore were injured in an attack instigated by Muslim men harassing Christian girls on Christmas day.
On December 25, Christians from Khadim colony, a neighborhood of Lahore, gathered at a local church to celebrate Christmas. Near the church, a play area for Christian children and youths was set up for the celebrations.
According to Faisal Masih, around 15 Muslim men came onto the church’s premises and began harassing the Christian girls. The men took photos of the Christian girls and asked the girls for their phone numbers.
When Masih was informed about the situation, he rushed to the play area to confront the men. However, when Masih asked the men not to harass the Christian girls, they reportedly laughed and chanted insulting slogans against the Christians.
“They said, ‘Chooris are looking dashing today. Let us have all of them in our beds’,” Masih told International Christian Concern (ICC).
Eventually, the men became angry with Masih and attacked him. As a result of the attack, Masih’s hand was fractured along with several other minor injuries.
“The Muslims warned me never to stop them from doing whatever they wanted to do with Christian girls,” Maish reported.
When other Christians protested against the men’s behavior, a mob of other Muslims carrying sticks came and attacked the Christians. They beat women and children and injured about a dozen Christian men.
“Seven men got serious injuries,” Masih told ICC. “One of the attackers was handed over to the police, but they did not take any action. Instead they immediately released him.”
The Christians of Khadim colony registered a First Information Report (FIR # 3072/20) against the attackers, but police have made no arrests. Many in the neighborhood feel very insecure and are afraid they will be attacked again.
“We are afraid of sending our children to the nearest markets to purchase daily kitchen stuff,” one Christian resident told ICC. “We are under threat and urge the authorities to take serious action and protect us.”
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