ASIA/PAKISTAN - Appeal for calm in Punjab after the killing of a farmer: it was not an act of violence against minorities

Faisalabad (Agenzia Fides) - "One must not fuel interreligious hatred and one must pay extreme attention in spreading information: the farmer Akram Masih, who was killed two days ago in Okara district, had converted to Islam for over 10 years. Police were looking for him for criminal acts and was killed by agents in a Criminal Police operation": This is what Fr. Nisar Barkat tells Fides, head of the Commission "Justice and Peace" in the diocese of Faisalabad, Punjab, which includes the District of Okara. Fr. Nisar explains to Fides: "The Christian community was not at all involved in the funeral of the man killed, which was celebrated by Muslims, as Akram Masih had abandoned the Christian faith for years. Even the newspapers such as 'The News' put the episode next to other cases of crime. It was therefore not an act of violence against religious minorities, and we ask everyone to remain calm. We must be careful towards those who want to transform each episode in an attack towards Christians. This misinformation can cause, therefore, greater hatred and intolerance towards the faithful. "
In Okara district "land grabbing" is still common practice, a phenomenon that takes hold in Punjab, Sindh and other parts of the country. It is the so-called "land grabbing", taken away from the poor farmers. The companies that get richer are those related to former members of the army: even for this reason cases go unpunished. "The victims are often poor farmers, often Christians who are vulnerable and unprotected. Many cases end up in court. The local Church of Faisalabad is on their side and in many cases is involved in defending them", explains Fr. Khalid Rashid Asi to Fides, general Vicar of the diocese of Faisalabad. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 25/11/2011)