25, amid concern over attacks against their churches and because of the country’s earthquake disaster.
Special prayers were held in churches across the country for the victims of the October 8 earthquake, the country’s senior Christian community leader Shahbaz Bhatti told the French news service Agence France Presse (AFP) on Christmas Day.
Bhatti, who heads the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, said Christians donated gifts after mass prayers for children in quake-hit areas. The quake killed more than 73,000 people and made another 3.5 million homeless.
"We decided to celebrate this Christmas on a low profile because of the massive earthquake destruction and last month’s attacks on our worship places in the city of Sangla Hill," Bhatti reportedly said.
Thousands of angry Muslims burned a Roman Catholic Church, two United Presbyterian churches as well as the local Sisters Convent, St. Anthony High School, a hostel and Christian homes, including residences of a Catholic priest and a pastor, the APMA said.
"DESECRATING" KORAN
The November 12 riots in Sangla Hill was prompted by allegations that a Christian desecrated the Koran, regarded as a holy book by Muslims. The allegations have been denied.
Christians in Pakistan ended 40 days of mourning this week with a "Day of Prayers and Fasting" following the attacks in Sangla Hill, described as the country’s worst anti Christian violence in years.
It was also an effort to repeal feared blasphemy laws, church representatives and religious rights activists confirmed Saturday, December 17.
NEW ATTACK
In one of the latest attacks a 27 year-old Christian cobbler, Pervaiz Masih, from Awami Colony in Lahore, Pakistan’s second largest city, was shot dead at midnight December 9
by unknown assailants, said Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a Christian human rights group. The circumstances of the reported killing were not immediately clear.
President Pervez Musharraf reportedly said in a Christmas message that the rights and liberties of all minorities would be protected. However human rights group have complained that not enough is done to protect Christians who comprise less than 3 percent of Pakistan’s population.
They have long been demanding changes in the country’s blasphemy law to prevent its misuse by Islamic hardliners to harass minorities. (With BosNewsLife’s Stefan J. Bos and reports from Pakistan).
