ASIA/PAKISTAN - Kidnappings and threats against Christians in Karachi

Karachi (Agenzia Fides) - Armed gangs of Islamic radical militants continue to terrorize the Christians of the district Essa Nagri, the largest Christian settlement in the city of Karachi, where about 50 thousand faithful live and have been suffering unspeakable violence for months, also reported to Christians parliamentarians (see Fides 26/05/2012). As reported to Fides, intimidation continues: on June 2 Kala Masih, a Christian boy was kidnapped by a group of armed men who beat him up, demanding a ransom from his family, who are very poor. The young boy, thanks to some NGO activists of Christian inspiration "Mission and Action for Social Services" (MASS), was released after three hours. His family, fearing retaliation, refused to even file a police report, stating also that they do not have any confidence in the police. Some days after the terrorists targeted some MASS NGO members, working with social projects in Essa Nagri. On June 8, the operator Aslam Masih, who lives in the district, was caught and beaten by a few radicals, who asked the family for a large sum of money, threatening to kill him if they did not get the money. The family, terrified, was transferred to an undisclosed location. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 13/6/2012)