Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Karachi (Agenzia Fides) - A group of extremists raided the Christian neighborhood of Essa Nagri, in Karachi, firing wildly and injuring three Christians: Aftab Bhatti Khairat Masih, 40 years old, the 22-year-old Khurram Afzal and the 15-year-old Khurram Ishaq who were taken to hospital. As reported to Fides, the terrorists also hit the Adventist Church of the Seventh-day and the Church of St. Luke. The incident, which occurred on May 19, brings to surface the question of insecurity and persecution of the Christian communities of Essa Nagri and other suburbs of Karachi, the capital of the province of Sindh, city where sectarian violence is widespread.
As previously reported by Fides Agency, the Christian population of Essa Nagri is terrified: violent raids increase, day and night, on behalf of Islamic extremist groups. In the district, densely populated, about 50,000 Christians live in conditions of extreme poverty and lack of basic services and there are about 15 churches of various denominations. The militants enter Essa Nagri holding guns and machine guns, ransacking homes and committing all kinds of violence against defenseless families. They steal, extort money, saying that they must collect the "jizya" (the tax imposed, according to the sharia, on non-Muslim minorities), they strike innocent victims, abuse women for fun. The phenomenon was already reported to Fides by the Catholic politician of Sindh, Michael Javed who had spoken of "rapes and torture of Christian women and children " (see Fides 14/1/2012).
Meanwhile, the Christian community in Sindh fears for the life of Saleem Khursheed Khokhar, another Christian MP, President of the Standing Committee on Minorities and President of "All Pakistan Minorities Alliance" (APMA) in the province. Khokhar resided with his family in Essa Nagri and now he seems to have become the target of extremist groups because of his commitment to the defense of Christian and Hindu minorities. As revealed to Fides, Khokhar continues to receive threats. A recent text message on his cell said: "This is a country for Muslims, no one else can live here." Khokhar reported the matter to the police, who ignored his complaints. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 26/5/2012)
