By Mushtaq Gill
KASUR:
Three armed robbers raided ‘Our Lady Queen of Angels Church’ located at Multan Road, Bhai Pheru District Kasur at 09:00am Thursday morning.
The bandits took Church staff hostage including Father Ijaz Bashir the assistant priest. Church officials say the dacoits (robbers) looted over one million Pakistani Rupees, and stole mobile phones, cameras and seven silver crowns.
.jpg)
A police complaint has been lodged under FIR No.48/2015, registered under section 392 of the Pakistan Penal Code, at City Police Station Bhai Pheru. Fingerprints were found at the crime scene but the robbers are still unknown. The Detective Superintendent for Pattoki has made assurances that the local constabulary are working towards the arrest of the culprits. He said;
“We have started the investigation and soon we will be able to arrest the culprits.”
Father Leopold Evans who is missionary from Belgium has expressed his concern at the recent robbery. Father Evans has been serving in the parish for more than 26 years, and fell ill two weeks ago, since when he has been admitted in hospital. Despite fighting for life he explained that the robbers took Eleven thousand Euros from the church.
Mushtaq Gill met with other staff and sisters of the Church. Sister Marriam said; “By God’s grace we have survived, these bandits are an instrument of evil.”
She further added;
“There are not any satisfactory security arrangements at the church. Our church committee will be deciding on how to improve existing practices. We are satisfied with the Government’s initiative regarding counter terrorism.”
Catechist Shahbaz Anjum said;
“The men involved in this raid looks similar to those in a previous robbery, for which Rev. Fr. Leopold forgave the dacoits after their arrest.”
He added;
“The dacoits came in pretending to inquire about admission at our School for their children. They used one of our rudimentary processes to ensnare us. It will be hard to shield against this without a stronger security checking system on entry, which will be expensive and will make our centre less welcoming. But we now have little option, as current practices allow bandits and terrorists easy access to our building.”