It is with dismay and disdain that I hear of the persecution of our Shi’ite brothers in Pakistan – a small Muslim minority. The Shia community of Karachi has been ravaged by 3 separate bomb attacks, in a spate of sectarian violence covering just 3 days from the 26th – 28th December.
The Ashoura festival and Muharram celebrations, for Shia Muslims have been tarnished by the recent terrorist activity. The intensity of the situation culminated in a Shia led riot that has decimated the local commercial precinct. Shamefully it would seem that the Pakistan Government has tried to delay or prevent news of the attacks reaching the wider populace. They have described major explosions as a “Fire cracker accident” or “Gas explosion”.
The unrest in Karachi is a very deplorable situation and for stability to return the government of Pakistan will be required to make more palpable overtures, than the recent perfunctory response, they have casually administered to victimized Christian communities.
We Christians were also targeted by text message threats, yet we have come out of the Christmas period relatively unscathed, the unfortunate Shi’ite brothers have had a less favourable outcome with numerous, fatalities and casualties. I ask that as Christians, we hold out a hand of friendship to these other beleaguered communities and pray for a restoration of peace in Pakistan.
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