Posted: 12/02/2015 at 9:32am | IP Logged

From arson to terror: what now, Pakistan? Pakistani Police Downplay Signs of Arson in Fire at Christian TV Station

(Photo courtesy FB/Gawahi TV)

Pakistan (MNN) — Yesterday, MNN covered the arson of Gawahi TV, a Christian television ministry in the heart of Karachi, Pakistan.

Bruce Allen with Forgotten Missionaries International explained that despite evidence to the contrary, it seems investigators deemed the fire was accidental, caused by a short circuit.

What’s not in dispute is that the fire has alarmed the sizeable Christian community in the area. It came on the heels of a warning in September, notes Allen. “The national government and the military warned that there would be terrorist attacks against all Christians in Pakistan. They had the intelligence about specific threats.”

Specifically, Allen says, ”They were warning all Christians–whether it was a church, a Christian school or a Christian-run hospital–that ‘You’re in the terrorists’ cross hairs. We advise you to keep a low profile, limit your movement.’” What’s more, he says as 11/26 approached, “Authorities warned about Islamic State attacks in the Punjab province. The Christians are just on perpetual high alert against terrorism.” 11/26/2008 was when 10 Pakistani members of Lashkar e Taiba carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days across Mumbai, India.

According to the warnings, the planned attacks against Christian communities in Pakistan were expected to be carried out by some splinter groups that formerly belonged to the Pakistani Taliban, which forged an alliance with the ISIS cells that have already entered Pakistan. Given the history, the timing of the Gawahi arson attack is remarkable, although, not verifiable.

(Photo courtesy Forgotten Missionaries International)

What it does establish is a pattern. The country suffers from chronic sectarian and religiously motivated violence. Pakistan has been designated a Country of Particular Concern by the USCIRF since 2002. Though the constitution guarantees religious freedom, Christians increasingly suffer under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. The law stipulates that any person who defiles the name of the prophet Muhammad or the Quran may be punished by life in prison or death.

Allen says, “In a situation like that, in an environment like that, individuals–even those who aren’t aligned with any terrorist group–feel like ‘we can just go to town against the Christians. We can persecute them. Nothing is really going to happen to us.’” Christians also face discrimination in employment and education, keeping them entrenched in the lower classes.

Still, the effect of terrorism on Pakistan’s Muslim population has been somewhat unanticipated. “The people of Pakistan, in general, are ambivalent regarding terrorism. They don’t know how they should feel,” explains Allen, adding, “They, themselves, are looking for hope and for answers. The Islamic State and other terrorist groups are not only targeting Christians: often, they will target other Muslims.” As they witness the violence, they are asking hard questions: “’Are we so driven by violence and bloodshed? Is there no other way?’”

Muslim workers pause for a few minutes along an alleyway in the afternoon to offer their ritual prayers.
(Image, caption courtesy FMI)

Allen says this is where the work of FMI comes in. “The light shines brightest against a dark sky. When you hold forth the Word of light, you’re like a shining star in the dark universe.”

FMI comes alongside church planters and evangelists with resourcing and training. However, in a country like Pakistan, resistance, hostility, and persecution can be isolating and discouraging. Security issues notwithstanding, says Allen, “We have a conference coming up in early 2016 for all of the church planters and evangelists that we partner with in Pakistan. It will be a great time of encouragement. We lead specific sessions that will help fortify their ministries.”

Please be praying for wisdom, safety, and boldness in the wake of the conference. Pray that these Christian leaders would stay true to the Gospel and that the encouragement they get will be long lasting.

Source: Mission Network News

Posted: 12/02/2015 at 12:39pm | IP Logged

Pakistani Police Downplay Signs of Arson in Fire at Christian TV Station

KARACHI, PAKISTAN (ANS, Dec.1, 2015) -- Morning Star News www.morningstarnews.org says that police are downplaying several signs pointing to arson in a fire reported at 3 a.m. on Tuesday (Nov. 24) at the office of a Christian cable TV station in Karachi.

The online news outlet reports that Gawahi Television chief Sarfraz William said the fire at the popular Christian channel’s office in Akhtar Colony was an act of sabotage.

William said he suspected arson because computers and other instruments were damaged, probably as a result of some chemical being thrown on them, while wooden materials in the office remained unscathed. Computer hard disks were also stolen.

In its report, Morning Star News says that William said TV station personnel had received threats from suspected Islamic militants who warned the station to stop preaching Christianity. Other local sources told Morning Star News that residents of the building complex had seen masked men fleeing the site after setting fire to the building, statements police initially put aside.

Another station official told NBC News that the channel’s security camera had been stolen, probably prior to the fire. The channel’s two-room office is located on the first floor of a residential building.

Action Committee for Human Rights (ACHR) Coordinator William Sadiq told Morning Star News said that unidentified men broke into the locked Gawahi TV office and set computers, Christian literature and office records on fire.

“Police officials are claiming that the fire could be the result of a short circuit, but they are at a loss to explain how the locks were broken,” Saddiq said.

He added that witnesses who saw men fleeing the office would have difficulty identifying them because the assailants’ faces were covered.

Sadiq said the fire alarmed the sizeable Christian community in the area.

“Pakistan’s largest church, St. Peter’s, is also located nearby,” he said. “The church holds a Mass of nearly 5,000 worshippers at a time, and the burning of Gawahi TV has caused immense concern among them.”

Gawahi TV has never spread propaganda against believers of other faiths, Sadiq said, adding that law enforcement officials were “trying to brush the matter under the carpet.”

Mehmoodabad Police Chief Inspector Sarwar Commando told Morning Star News that Fire Brigade officials said an initial probe determined the fire resulted from a short circuit.

“The fire was caused by a short circuit,” Commando said. “Although the TV management is claiming that they were under threat by suspected militants, the organization had never reported any security threats to the police prior to this incident.”

Muhammad Bashir of the Mehmoodabad Fire Brigade told Morning Star News that fire officials had yet to write a preliminary report on the incident.

“We haven’t finalized our report as yet, so it would be premature to say what caused the fire at the channel’s office,” he said, declining to reveal further details.

Police Chief Inspector Commando said police have taken note of local residents’ statements that they saw masked men near the premises, and that police would obtain CCTV footage from the nearby St. Peter’s church to investigate the claims.

The ACHR’s Sadiq rejected police assertions that the incident was caused by a short circuit.

Gawahi TV, established in February 2013 as a joint venture of Catholic and Protestant churches, aims to “spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to people of all religions who live in Pakistan.” The channel broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and William said it has a viewership of more than 12 million in Pakistan and abroad.

The Rev. John Arif of the Catholic Diocese of Karachi said that it was disheartening to see the entire building and all equipment burned.

“The channel was set up to communicate the Word of God,” he said. “There have been threats, and now the matter is under investigation. We hope to soon see the channel on air again. We pray for peace and tolerance.”

Photo captions: 1) Sarfraz William of Gawahi TV cable channel is interviewed following fire at station office. (Morning Star News via Gawahi Facebook). 2) Michael Ireland.

About the Writer: Michael Ireland is a Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, as well as a volunteer Internet Journalist and Ordained Minister who has served with ASSIST Ministries and ASSIST News Service since its beginning in 1989. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China, and Russia. Click http://paper.li/Michael_ASSIST/1410485204 to see a daily digest of Michael's stories for ANS.

** You may republish this or any of ANS stories with attribution to the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net)