Pakistan - Church Vandalized, 5 Including Pastor Beaten by Armed Assailants in Chakwal

Armed assailants have struck again. This time they vandalized a church and beat six people including a pastor. This is the second time that such an incident has happened in the last few days.

The incident happened in Chakwal City on Tuesday when a group of armed men attacked the church after being instigated by a local cleric. Javed Masih an eye witness reports that two people had been arrested in this regard and were released after being taken to the police station.

Pastor Suhail Masih and five other people were present in the church when it was vandalized. The attackers beat them all and managed to escape before police arrived. Those who sustained injuries were rushed to hospitals and are said to be out of danger.

Tariq Bhatti an influential person of the area had accused Pastor Suhail Masih and his fellows of preaching Christianity to Muslim residents of the area. “He accused us of trying to convert Muslim youth into Christians,” said Pastor Suhail.

The Christian Community of Chakwal held a demonstration in the area demanding the arrest of culprits and for the registration of the FIR. Locals have appealed to the government to heighten the security of churches and to punish those behind the repeated attempts to harm Christians in Pakistan.

This attack comes days after Humayun Masih was charged for blasphemy in Lahore where a charged mob attempted to burn a church and vandalized homes.

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