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Monday, January 11, 2016

Lahore: Vandals set a church on fire over trivial dispute; building, furniture and Holy Bibles all reduced to ashes

The first shocked of 2016 that some angry people came in church after service and they burn the church building, furniture and Holy Bibles and Holy songs books.
It happened on yesterday 7, January 2016 in Bhatta villiage raiwind road Lahore.
A really sad state that religious fanatics burnt the Apostolic Church in #Pakistan's second largest city Lahore. It's a big challenge for the Government of Pakistan and especially for the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who wants to promote a "Liberal and Democratic Pakistan", but until the justice's been denied by giving the cover to the extremists, the dream will remain the dream. We strongly demand the Pakistani authorities to arrest and punish the responsible of this heinous crime and rebuild the burnt Church as soon as possible.
Report: 
A church set on fire by local Islamic extremists over a trifling dispute, causing much damage to the church building, furniture and the Holy Bibles.
News is that, some Muslim radicals set on fire the Apostolic Church followed by a negligible dispute between the local Muslims and Christians in a village namely Baath near Shamkey Bhattian Multan Road, Lahore. This incident reportedly took place on January 7, marking it as the first reported incident of anti-Christian violence in the country.
While speaking in this regard, Pastor Asher from Shamki Bhattian and Pastor Mehboob said that a prayer service was organized in the church in the evening of January 6. Since the congregation gathered in masses, church administration installed tents outside the church building along with loud speakers so that those outside the building can hear the sermon and prayer. They said that it was a routine to use loud speakers and it was not a new practice.
The pastors recounted that while the service was still going on, few local Islamic clerics (Mullahs) approached the pastor-in-charge of the church- Pastor Yaqoob Saroya and asked him to turn the loud speaker off, as it was the Islamic prayer time, (Azaan). However, Pastor Yaqoob and other church administrators refused to turn the loud speakers off.
Nonetheless, the prayer service continued and the congregants left after the service concluded. However, the Islamic extremists who got infuriated over the refusal to turn off the loud speakers; set the church on fire.
Later on, an FIR was lodged against unknown perpetrators in the police station of Manga Mundi. What is more, no evidence could be recovered form the scene that the church was viciously set on fire by the same Muslims who had asked the pastor-in-charge to turn the loud speakers off.
In this regard, High Court Advocate Suba Saroya has taken upon himself the task of pursuing the case and filed the complaint of this incident himself; without nominating or accusing any one, owing to the fact that no substantial evidence could be found.


Father Cyril extend Christmas greetings from His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion. The meal was served to the parishioners after prayer service.

Father Cyril Amer celebrated Nativity Service with faithful. We pray, at this most magnificent feast that each of us will recognize the riches that God has revealed to us. Let us prepare our souls to receive the riches of God and be thankful that He sent His Son to be born that He might save us. The faithful offered special prayers for peace in Pakistan, Syria, and Alexandria, Ukraine and all over the world. In the end Father Cyril extend Christmas greetings from His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion. The meal was served to the parishioners after prayer service.