![\"Bishop](\"https:\/\/morningstarnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Bishop-Abraham-Daniel-prays-for-victims-of-Feb.-12-attack-in-Sawihal-District-Pakistan.-Christian-Daily-International-Morning-Star-News.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nBishop Abraham Daniel prays for victims of Feb. 12 attack in Sawihal District, Pakistan. (Christian Daily International-Morning Star News)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
LAHORE<\/strong>, Pakistan<\/strong>\u00a0(Christian Daily International<\/a>\u2013<\/em>Morning Star News<\/a>) \u2013 Muslims fired gunshots and threw fuel bombs at the homes of Christians in a village in Pakistan at 2 a.m. on Monday (Feb. 12) for supporting an opposing political party in last week\u2019s elections, sources said.<\/p>\n No one was hurt in the attacks in Chak 6\/11-L village in Sahiwal District, Punjab Province, by area Muslims also upset about Christians constructing a church building, residents said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n More than 20 armed men led by Imran Yousaf, also known as Mana, attacked three houses of related Christians, said Arshad Masih.<\/p>\n \u201cThey threw petrol bombs at our homes and fired gunshots on the gates, damaging property worth hundreds of thousands of Pakistani rupees,\u201d Masih, who has filed charges, told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. \u201cFortunately, no one was killed or injured in the attack.\u201d<\/p>\n While an area clergyman said the assailants were upset at the Christians\u2019 support of a candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the Feb. 8 national elections, Masih said the suspects also nurtured a grudge over the church building.<\/p>\n \u201cEver since my family built the church two years ago, these men have been trying to pick fights with us,\u201d Masih said. \u201cThey call us \u2018Chuhras<\/em>\u2019 [a pejorative term used for Christians] and are always finding ways to pressure us into closing the church.\u201d<\/p>\n He was sleeping in the house of his brother, the Rev. Hashmat Masih, pastor of the church, when the assailants threw fuel bombs into it, with several valuables damaged by fire, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe assailants also fired bullets at the house, some of which pierced the metal gate but did not cause any injury to us,\u201d Arshad Masih said. \u201cThe assailants then went to the house of my paternal cousin, Tahir Masih, who is an elder of the church. They threw petrol bombs inside his house which burned his loader rickshaw \u2013 his source of livelihood \u2013 and other belongings.\u201d<\/p>\n After attacking Tahir Masih\u2019s house, the Muslims opened fire on the house of Arshad Masih\u2019s brother, Shaukat Masih, on the same street.<\/p>\n \u201cLuckily, no one in the family was injured as they had hidden themselves inside the house,\u201d Arshad Masih said.<\/p>\n The timely arrival of police forced the assailants to flee, keeping them from harming the Christians, he said, adding that officers have yet to make any arrests.<\/p>\n Bishop Abraham Daniel of Sahiwal Baptist Church said more than 100 Christian families live in the village.<\/p>\n \u201cTension already existed between the Christians and Muslims over the construction of the church,\u201d Daniel told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. \u201cThis incident occurred due to the Christians\u2019 support for the candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The assailants are affiliated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), whose candidate won the election from that constituency.\u201d<\/p>\n Daniel said that he helped the attacked families register the case against the assailants, who have sought to appease them with an informal \u201creconciliation\u201d agreement.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, we have made it clear that reconciliation will only take place if they give written guarantees that no Christian will henceforth be targeted by them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n At the same time, such a settlement would be more viable than prosecution, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cChristians have been\u00a0living in that village for over seven decades, and relocating them to some other area is not possible,\u201d Daniel said. \u201cI think we should negotiate a lasting agreement for our people, as both communities have to live together, and Christians are not in a position to engage in long-drawn cases or enmity with the Muslims.\u201d<\/p>\n Tensions in the village were under control, and there was no immediate threat to area Christians, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are in contact with the senior police officials, and we hope they will ensure the protection of our people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors\u2019 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year.<\/p>\n If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/morningstarnews.org\/resources\/aid-agencies\/<\/em><\/a>\u00a0for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/morningstarnews.org\/donate\/<\/em><\/a>?<\/em><\/p>\n ###<\/p>\n \u00a9 2024 Morning Star News. 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For free subscription, contact\u00a0<\/em>editor@morningstarnews.org<\/em><\/a>;\u00a0to make tax-deductible donations, visit\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/morningstarnews.org\/donate\/<\/em><\/a>? or send check to Morning Star News, 728 A Kodiak St., Eielson AFB, AK 99702, USA.<\/em><\/p>\n The post Christian Homes in Pakistan Hit with Gunshot, Fuel Bombs<\/a> appeared first on Morningstar News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n