Several men torch Christian man’s house for revealing corruption

Several men torch Christian man’s house for revealing corruption

Written by: Jawad Mazhar (ROD)

Shiekhupura, Pakistan, March 28^th (ROD): On February 25^th 2008 two men recognized as Qurbaan Ali Mangi and Abid Ali, hired 10 unknown men and ransacked and set ablaze the house of a poor Christian sanitary worker Boota Masih to revenge the divulging of their connivance and corrupt activities.

ROD Fact Finding Team (RFFT) has learnt that Boota Masih 35 has been working at GEPCO Poll Plant, Gujranwala as a sanitary worker for last two (02) years. While he was working there, he discovered that Mr Qurbaan Ali Mangi and Abid Ali were involved in malicious, illegal and corrupt activities. And due to their black deeds company had to undergo heavy economical lose. Boota Masih submitted an application to his senior officers regarding the corruption of both the men.

After a departmental enquiry both the men Abid Ali and Qurbaan Ali Mangi were found guilty and dismissed from their positions in the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO) by a local court.

Since then the hate and fury to revenge had been simmering up in their hearts secretly. In revenge, about 10 armed men led by Mangi and Ali attacked the Christian family and injured Masih, his wife Sema, his son Adeel and his nephew Akram. The attackers ransacked the entire house and set it on fire. They then warned Masih of worse if he attempted to contact the police. As though destroying Masih's house and belongings was not enough, the gang of armed men forced the family to leave the area, RFFT established.

Boota Masih told RFFT from an undisclosed location through an intermediator, that he tried to register a case against the assailants, but police were initially reluctant of registering a case against the Gujranwala Electric Power Company’s officials. He added that police did register a case against the culprits after the intercession of a local court.

According to other sources (A local Daily) Masih’s wife Sema had been warned via telephone from an anonymous caller that her husband would be murdered. At present poor Christian family is living in hiding at an undisclosed location. Therefore RFFT is not able to obtain further updates regarding this sad and hostile face-off.

Armed men desecrate and occupy church Compound

Armed men desecrate and occupy church Compound

Written by: Jawad Mazhar (ROD)

MandiBhaudin, Pakistan, March 25^th (ROD): Armed men made their entry forcibly, brandishing deadly fire arms and occupied the church compound of Catholic Church Chak # (Village) 2 Shumali (North Branch), here at MandiBhaudin, Pakistan on February 29^th, 2008. They built boundary walls of the premises of church compound before the dusk of March 1^st to further strengthen their occupation, said Arshad Gill.

A Christian resident and social worker of MandiBhaudin Mr Arshad Gill apprised ROD Fact Finding Team (RFFT) that on the night of Feb 29^th fifteen men armed with deadly weapons, two of which are recognized as Ghulam Abbas, Muhammad Iqbal forced their way into the church compound of the local Catholic Church. “They desecrated and occupied the Church’s 1.5 Kanal compound”, Gill added.

Arshad Gill also said that assailants threatened and kept aerial gunfire with deadly fire arms like AK-47, making loud bangs, to terrorize the local Christians through out the night between Feb 29 and March 1^st. He went on saying that Christians of Chak # 2 NB were so much terrified that 5 (five) neighboring Christian families left their homes to save their lives. And they are still living in hiding away from their homes.

Gill said that on March 4^th local Christians led by the local clergy man registered a case against the assailants at Civil Lines Police Station. ‘But police are reluctant of taking any action against the culprits despite the fact that a case had been lodged against them, and police have not arrested any one, to date’, added Gill.

Concerned Gill said that this piece of land was owned and in use by the church since 1937. ROD tried to contact Investigating Officer, Sub Inspector (SI) Muhammad Zafar for details, but either he was not in the Police Station or he deliberately evaded talking to the RFFT. Enraged Gill said that Police are blatantly leaning and aiding their towards the culprits and disdaining deprived local Christians.

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