Places of worship Attack on Churches at Sukkur: On February 19, 2006 a mob burnt two Churches and adjacent Church properties in Sukkur. St. Mary’s School (Catholic) and St. Savior’s Church (Church of Pakistan) were attacked without any intervention by the police, present on the scene. Copies of the Holy Bible, furniture of Churches, Schools and Pastor’s house were also burnt. The property worth millions of rupees was burnt to ashes. The benches in the Church were made of teak from Burma. The estimate of reconstruction cost by the government (moderate anyway) was around 7.3 Million Rupees.

Hyderabad - Protest against attacks on Churches in Sukkar

This gory and reckless situation had again a blasphemy charge in the background. Irfan Gill, a Christian man who had embraced Islam two years ago alleged his father-in-law Saleem Gill to be involved in desecration of the Holy Quran. Irfan confessed later that he himself created an evidence to allege his father-in-law because of a row between them over the possession of property.

The Churches had not been repaired and the government for damages has paid no compensation 11 months past the incident.                                                                                                                                             NCJP Report

Attack on Church - Manga Mandi, Lahore

On November 12, 2006 Zulifiqar Akbar, Asif Ramzan and six other Muslim boys attacked the Church at Talab Sarai at Manga Mandi, district Lahore. The gate and tube lights were broken. The police was approached however; culprits were not arrested till this report.                                                                       NCJP / Minorities Concern December 2006

Attack on a Church Sharaqpur On August 12, 2006 about 30 armed men attacked a church and Christian houses at Mominpura village, Sharaqpur, Lahore. A land dispute between Mehr Yaqoob, a Muslim landlord from a neighbouring village was the reason for this attack. Eyewitnesses said that the attackers from a near by village had threw hand grenades into the Church, demolishing it partially, set ablaze two houses adjacent to the church, desecrated Holy books, beat up Christian men, children and women. They also took valuables from the Church. Later Muslim neighbours came to their rescue, (10 households in the Christian village). They opened fire and made the attackers flee. The attackers took Bashir Masih, a Christian and his 25 cattle heads with them before leaving the village. Bashir had tried to resist the attackers. As a result they injured him and also ransacked his house adjacent to the Church. Police had registered a case against the attackers.                    Daily Times August 14, 2006

Sikandar was among the injured in attack on Church in Sharaqpur

Church set on fire - Sargodha

A United Presbyterian Church was set on fire on February 28, 2006 by unidentified assailants. The main door and six windows of the Church were damaged. FIR was registered but no one was arrested till this report. 500 people from Minority community along with the Majority community protested against the incident.         Daily Times March 2, 2006

Attack on Pastor’s house / Church in Mian Channun

On April 4, 2006, a Pastor’s house, which functions as a Church, was attacked at Stunzabad a Christian village, about 370 kilometers south of Islamabad. The Holy Bible, furniture, sound system, Pastor’s academic certificate were burnt along with other articles.

The police arrested four Muslim men Hafiz Islam, Hafiz Abid, Rana Abdul Ghaffar and Rana Abdul Jabbar who were allegedly caught while burning the Bible, calendars carrying the picture of Jesus Christ and other Christian booklets.

About 1,500 persons protested against the incident on April 4, 2006. Deputy Superintendent Police of Mian Channun, Tikka Khan was contacted but he refused to comment.                                                Minorities Concern, May 2006