{"id":958,"date":"2015-07-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-07-17T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.britishasianchristians.org\/full-previous-archive\/2015\/07\/18\/bomb-blast-hero-fears-total-loss-of-sight\/"},"modified":"2023-04-30T06:39:10","modified_gmt":"2023-04-30T05:39:10","slug":"bomb-blast-hero-fears-total-loss-of-sight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.britishasianchristians.org\/full-previous-archive\/bomb-blast-hero-fears-total-loss-of-sight\/","title":{"rendered":"Bomb Blast Hero Fears Total Loss of Sight"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
\"\"<\/div>\n
Security guard Sikander Inyat lost his right eye in the Taliban attack<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/div>\n

By Mehwish Bhatti<\/p>\n

Sikander Inyat (28 years old) was working as part of the volunteer security team protecting St James Catholic Church on March 15th 2015, a day when Sikander’s church and nearby Christ Church were struck by Muslim suicide bombers. 
\n<\/span>
\n
\n<\/span>
\nWhilst on duty Sikander heard a call that a potential bomber was travelling towards the church. Alerted to the attack, he and his colleagues rushed into action, their main aim being to protect the church and parishioners at all costs.  Sikander’s responsibility was to shut the large iron gates to prevent the hate-filled attackers entering the church compound.  He remembers that he grabbed the gates and began closing them when suddenly there was a huge explosion and then everything went black.  Minutes later he awoke with a splitting headache and could not see out of his right eye.  He was given initial first aid by other parishioners and was taken to Lahore General Hospital by ambulance.  He later discovered that the explosion had ripped the heavy metal gate off its hinges, the impact completely destroying his right eye and shattering the femur in his left leg.
\n<\/span>
\n
\nAfter being admitted to hospital, where he received stitches to his eye and a splint and bandage on his injured leg, Sikander was promptly discharged.  The hospital gave him the appalling reason that they were full to capacity and there was no beds available for non-Muslims.
\n<\/span>
\n
\nWith no other option open to them Sikander’s family took him home and cared for him the best they could, but his health deteriorated.  Praise God the BPCA were able to connect Sikander with man called Enan Samuel who contacted us after one of our appeals and offered to admit him into United Christian Hospital. There Sikander was treated free of cost until his health became more stable.  Eventually he had to be discharged from there also due to the lack of finance to pay for a necessary eye operation.   I visited Sikander both at  Lahore General Hospital  and United Christian Hospital.  We gave him food packages and paid for bandages to be changed on his wounds.  I also continued to pray with him and give spiritual counseling.
\n<\/span>
\n
\nOn my latest visit on July 7th 2015, I was pleased to see that he had recovered somewhat, but he is still in need of urgent medical attention.  We are grateful that the supporters of the BPCA  raised £200 to help Sikander’s family with rent and food for the time that he has been off work , and I cheerfully handed this across to Sikander.  But what Sikander desperately needs is an artificial eye and an essential operation to his remaining eye to prevent him losing his sight altogether.  The cost of this operation is £1700, completely out of the reach of this poor family who just cannot raise that amount. <\/span>\n<\/p>\n

I prayed with Sikander and his family who are all God-fearing Christians.  Sikander’s married sister who has been nursing him since the incident shared her concerns about  him:<\/span><\/p>\n

“Sikander is so young and still has a long life ahead of him. He is now going to have a huge struggle to survive in the future.  My father is old and Sikander will not be able to depend on him forever as dad is not working.”<\/span><\/p>\n

She added:<\/span><\/p>\n

“Sikander was the only person earning for our family and instead of carrying up the responsibility for our father, through no fault of his own he has become a burden for him. I am really worried when I watch Sikander lying all day long on the charpai (rope bed), he is depressed now and I am worried for his sanity.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Sikander, while understandably downcast at times,  remains full of faith and believes God will definitely heal and help him. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nMehwish prays with Sikander and his family<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/p>\n
\n
Sikander is confined to a charpai
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
\nAlison Houghton, BPCA Trustee said:  <\/p>\n

“Sikander Inyat is a remarkable man who was closing the church gates on a suicide bomber with no thought to himself.  His bravery and courage contributed to many lives being spared that day and it deeply saddens me that he may lose his sight as a result.  I pray that Sikander will receive the operation he needs to save his sight and that he will soon have his health and dignity fully restored.”<\/span>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

Please pray:<\/p>\n

That Sikander will not lose his sight!
\nThat he will be able to have all the medical treatment that he needs including an artificial eye
\nFor him to fully recover and have his wish of returning to work and supporting his elderly father once more
\nFor his faith to remain strong and for God to bless him and heal him
\nFor protection for Lahore churches from further Muslim attacks<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

We
\nare working tirelessly to help end injustice for Christians in Pakistan,
\nand to continue to help those affected by the Lahore twin bomb blasts, but we can’t do it without you. <\/p>\n

Please help us by giving financially, that we might continue our work
\nfor the innocent.  Any donations can be sent using these bank details:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Payee: BPCA<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span>Sort Code: 20-44-22
\nAccount number: 43163318
\nBank: Barclays<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
Ref:  Love for Lahore Christians<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

For international donations please use these details:<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

IBAN:  GB62 BARC 20442243163318<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/div>\n
\n

SWIFTBIC: BARCGB22<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Alternatively
\nif you would like to send a one off donation please use the PayPal
\nfacility on the top right hand corner of our blog, our PayPal email
\naddress is info@britishpakistanichristians.org.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span>
\nAny cheques should be made payable to the BPCA
\nto our address: 57 Green Lane, Ilford, Essex, IG1 1XG.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/span>
\nWith your support we hope to change the lives of millions of Christians in Pakistan.<\/span> <\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Security guard Sikander Inyat lost his right eye in the Taliban attack By Mehwish Bhatti Sikander Inyat (28 years old) was working as part of the volunteer security team protecting St James Catholic Church on March 15th 2015, a day when Sikander’s church and nearby Christ Church were struck by Muslim suicide bombers.  Whilst on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-958","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"yoast_head":"\nBomb Blast Hero Fears Total Loss of Sight - BACA Full Previous Archive<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.britishasianchristians.org\/full-previous-archive\/bomb-blast-hero-fears-total-loss-of-sight\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bomb Blast Hero Fears Total Loss of Sight - 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