The church of San Francesco attacked in Karachi: the Franciscans in fear

ASIA/PAKISTAN - 

Karachi (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Church of St. Francis, the oldest of the archdiocese of Karachi, in the old town, was attacked by a mob of about 600 Islamic radicals that devasted the yard, but did not manage to break through the front door. The two Franciscan monks who live there, Fr. Victor Mohan and Fr. Albert Jamil, OFM, and the sisters who work there "are afraid, they fear more attacks, but trust in the Providence of God," they tell Fides. The episode, which has aroused indignation and concern throughout the Catholic community in Karachi, took place at 7 pm last Friday, October 12. A Franciscan priest told Fides: "Fr. Victor had just finished celebrating a wedding, when he heard noises and shouting from the compound of the church. Immediately all the faithful, women and children were sent to the parish house. The radicals, shouting against the Christians, broke into the building and started devastating everything: cars, bikes, vases of flowers. They broke an aediculeand took the statue of the Madonna. They tried to force the door of the church, throwing stones at the church and destroying the windows " The acts of vandalism continued for an hour, then the police arrived, the crowd dispersed. According to Fides sources, the attack can still be a reaction to the blasphemous film on Mohammed or otherwise related to the issue of blasphemy.
In the days following the Catholic Church in Karachi organized a public demonstration of protest, led by the Archbishop of Karachi, Mgr. Joseph Coutts, with the participation of hundreds of priests, nuns, lay people, members of the Commission "Justice and Peace" and of human rights activists. The Assembly, gathered in a peaceful manner, prayed for peace and respect for all religions. Archbishop Coutts told Fides: "The church of San Francesco has always served the poor with a school and a medical clinic run by nuns. For nearly 80 years it carries out a humble service to humanity without any discrimination of caste, ethnicity or religion. Why these acts? Why are we not safe? ". Mgr. Coutts calls for the protection of the government and invites citizens of Pakistan "to respect all religions, so that we may live in harmony and peace." Following their specific charism of dialogue and acceptance, the Franciscans of Karachi collaborate with organizations and Muslim leaders in many fields of social service. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 17/10/2012)

ASIA/PAKISTAN - Rimsha's case: postponed for a month, Ryan's case: blasphemous SMS sent by Muslims?

Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) - Two cases of young Christians accused of blasphemy continue to hold the Christian community's breath in Pakistan. We are talking about Rimsha Masih, a 12-year-old falsely accused by an imam in Rawalpindi, arrested and released on bail, and Ryan Brian Patras, a 14-year-old from Karachi, accused of having sent a blasphemous SMS. The boy, officially reported, is now in a hidden place with his family.

Today, sources of Fides report, the High Court in Islamabad, in a quick hearing, has postponed to November 14 the ruling on Rimsha's case. The Court must decide on the cancellation of the complaint (First Information Report) registered against the girl. The cancellation requested by the defense, would lead to full acquittal for Rimsha. The request is based on statements made by three Muslim witnesses who accuse the Imam Khalid Jadoon Chisti, indicating him as the man who made up the evidence against Rimsha. Imam Chisti's defense - note sources of Fides - is trying to remove the charges, making the three witnesses recant, and has adopted a strategy to delay the trial.
In the case of Ryan Brian Patras, his family, after their house was devastated and burned by Islamic radicals (see Fides 12/10/2012) have moved to a safe place, and have asked for the legal aid of a lawyer and Pastor Mustaq Gill. The Patras family is a Christian family who lived in the middle-class residential area Gulshan-i-Iqbal Karachi, the only Christian family in a Muslim area. According to Fides sources in the Patras family, Ryan's cell phone was used by some of his Muslim friends who sent the SMS blasphemous to damage him. Ryan, at first, said he did not notice that he had sent the SMS or read it carefully. But rebuilding better the story, the boy said that some friends had asked to borrow his mobile for a few minutes. In this case, Ryan would be entirely unconnected with the facts and the victim of a plot. Lawyer Gill, interviewed by Fides, notes "a very dangerous trend, in which Christians are targeted, through the blasphemy law, because of their faith." (PA) (Agenzia Fides 17/10/2012)