World Watch Monitor | Sept. 28, 2018
The only Christian family in their area were beaten and saw their house set on fire last week in a city in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Then they were told they will be killed if they return.
The family – an elderly couple with their four sons, daughters-in-law and 11 grandchildren – are now sheltering in a tent.
They say they were targeted by their Muslim neighbours and that they were assaulted by them six months ago but decided at the time not to press charges, hoping there would be no recurrence.
The incident took place on 20 September in Gujar Khan, Rawalpindi district, about 60 kilometres from the capital Islamabad. Newly appointed Punjab Minority Affairs and Human Rights Minister Ejaz Augustine has tried to intervene in the case and the local police have registered a criminal case, but no arrests have been made.
A local English newspaper has claimed that the suspects are supported by the brother of former prime minister Raja Parvaiz Ashraf, who is among the top leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which ruled Pakistan from 2008 to 2013.
