Pakistan Churches Face Islamic Graffiti Attacks
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) – Christians in several parts of Pakistan faced a new dilemma Thursday after their churches were painted with pro-Islam slogans by suspected Muslim militants, according to footage obtained by Worthy News.
The graffiti attacks follow a series of violent and verbal attacks against Christians, including the August 16 destruction of more than 100 Christian homes and churches in the city of Jaranwala in the Faisalabad industrial district.
Slogans such as “YA Allah YA Rasool” (“O Allah, O Messenger”) Allahu Akbar (“Allah is Greatest”) and Subhan Allah” (“Allah is free from imperfection”) as well as remarks praising Islam’s Prophet Muhammad have appeared on the walls of church buildings.
The Central Brooks Memorial Church in Karachi, the Dioceses of Karachi and Balochistan Church of Pakistan, and the Presbyterian Church in Rehmat town in the Faisalabad area were among the buildings targeted.
Yet the church leadership may be reluctant to remove the slogans in this Islamic nation, explained well-informed Pakistani human rights activist Farrukh Saif.
“In the current scenario, any attempt by Christians to remove the aforementioned slogans from church walls presents a precarious predicament,” Saif explained.
ACT OF BLASPHEMY
“Such an act [of removing graffiti] could be misconstrued as an act of blasphemy [against Islam]. That could lead to severe consequences, including retaliatory attacks on the churches,” added Saif, cofounder of the co-founder of the Emergency Committee to Save the Persecuted and Enslaved (ECSPE).
“Christians find themselves entangled in a complex web of challenges, seemingly left to navigate these issues unassisted. Remarkably, the local government has yet to address or acknowledge the actions undertaken by these Muslim groups,” he said.
The latest graffiti attacks targeting churches have been linked to the radical Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) group, which was involved in the attacks in Jaranwala and protests.
The attacks and rallies emerged over allegations that Christians desecrated the Koran, deemed a holy book by Muslims, though activists have questioned the evidence.
Several Christians have been detained in recent weeks under Pakistani legislation that imposes the death penalty for blasphemy despite international concerns.
“Alarming still, these radical elements persist in targeting Christians through diverse methods,” including painting graffiti on church walls and the destruction of churches and Christian homes, Saif noted.
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