Asia/Pacific

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A high-ranking Pakistani politician, who negotiated the release of kidnapped Christians and fought against controversial blasphemy laws, says he and his family are in life danger after receiving threatening phone calls from suspected Islamic militants.

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan PAKPATTAN, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A Muslim lawyer has apologized for thousands of anti-Christian leaflets distributed in Pakistan at a reconciliation meeting with Christian leaders who said they forgave him because they are followers of "the Prince of Peace," according to delegates attending the gathering.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with reporting by BosNewsLife's Johan Th. Bos in the Netherlands and Stefan J. Bos at BosNewsLife News Center AMSTERDAM/JAKARTA (BosNewsLife)-- The Dutch far right Party for Freedom (PVV) says the Netherlands should demand that Indonesia improves protection of Christians amid reports that hard-line Muslims prepare for a religious war with that country's Christian minority.

By Santosh Digal, BosNewsLife Asia Correspondent reporting from India NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Church leaders in India on Wednesday, June 30, welcomed a seven year jail sentence for a leader of an influential Hindu party who was seen as the mastermind behind anti-Christian violence in India's eastern state of Orissa that killed scores of people in 2008.

By a Special BosNewsLife Correspondent reporting from Pakistan RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A Christian woman remained in hospital Monday, June 28, after she was beaten and briefly abducted on the orders of a prominent Pakistani Muslim legislator "because Christians didn't vote" for him, family and police said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service RANGOON, BURMA (BosNewsLife)-- Christian rights activists marked the 65th birthday of detained Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Saturday, June 19, and her supporters gathered in the country's main city Rangoon, amid renewed calls for her release from house arrest and an end to military rule.

By George Whitten, BosNewsLife Senior Correspondent BEIJING, CHINA (BosNewsLife)-- Chinese church leader Wang Dao, was free on bail Friday, June 18, but awaited a new trial, following weeks of imprisonment on trumped up charges , his supporters told BosNewsLife.

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife OSH/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Kyrgyz Christians were risking their lives Thursday, June 17, to help and shelter Uzbek believers in southern Kyrgystan, where ethnic clashes killed at least 190 people, injured 1,800 others and uprooted some 400,000 residents, Christian aid workers said.

By BosNewsLife Asia Service with a Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Pakistani police freed a Christian girl who was kidnapped and raped by five Muslim militants with the apparent support from "religious leaders", but the suspects escaped, her family said Wednesday, June 16.

By Jawad Mazhar, BosNewsLife Special Correspondent reporting from Pakistan LAHORE, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Impoverished frail parents were still awaiting justice Monday, June 14, for the death of their son who they and Christian investigators said died of "mental and physical torture" while in police custody in the city of Lahore.