Militant Islamists again on the march in Pakistan and Christians are marked for annihilation
International Christian Voice, Canada (ICV) with great pain and sadness informs you of the targeted killing of Pastor William Siraj by Islamic militants in Peshawar, Pakistan. The armed assailants attacked as the two clergymen left on a motorcycle from All Saints Church in the city after the church service; the accompanying pastor, Revd. Patrick Naeem was wounded in the shooting.
All Saint’s Church is the same Church where in 2013 two suicide bombers carried out an attack killing 127 innocent Christian worshippers and injuring another 170. The victims of that horrific attack included 37 innocent children.
The sword of Damocles hangs over the heads of Pakistan’s minority faith citizens every minute of the day that they survive in their own country. The suffocation of religious minorities, physical violence, fear, and uncertain future in a growing intolerant Pakistan has made life for religious minority faiths a living hell.
Over and above the physical violence unleashed by the Islamists there is added fear of false blasphemy charges, denial of economic opportunities, segregated by the majority and shackled by State connivance to the bottom in menial sewer cleaning jobs.
International Christian Voice, Canada (ICV) strongly condemns the assassination of Pastor William Siraj and injured Revd. Patrick Naeem. We expect the law enforcement to apprehend the assailants, but, more importantly, we demand the State of Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan, its political and religious leaders to address the core national issue of rampant intolerance festering in the society at large.