FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Government Employees Attack Christian Family, Burn House after Being Turned In

You are free to disseminate the following news. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address www.www.persecution.org. Contact Jeremy Sewall, Policy Analyst, 1-800-ICC (422)-5441, jeremy@www.persecution.org.

(March 27, 2008) The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC) www.www.persecution.org has just learned that two government employees, Mr. Qurban Ali Mangi and Mr. Abid Ali, hired and led 10 armed men on February 25, 2008, to attack the family of a Christian man who exposed their illegal activities to their superiors in district Sheikhupura, near Lahore.

According to a local source, 35-year-old Boota Masih has been employed at the Gapgo poll plant in Gujranwala as a sanitary worker for the past two years. During his work, Masih observed that Qurban Ali Mangi and Abid Ali were engaging in corrupt and illegal activities, and submitted a complaint to their superiors. As a result, Mangi and Ali were formally charged with corruption and brought to justice through the state courts.

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.

Masih did report their actions to the police, but the local police initially refused to register a case against the government officials. They only did so after the intervention of the local court. However, the culprits had not yet been arrested and Masih’s family had not been allowed to come back home at the time this report was written.

A local newspaper reported that Sema, Masih’s wife, was warned by an anonymous person that her husband would be murdered. The family is currently in hiding due to the death threat and the reporter was unable to get an update.

Please contact the Pakistani embassy in your country and ask them to protect the rights of Christians and all religious minorities.

Pakistan Embassies:

USA: (202) 243-6500, info@embassyofpakistanusa.org

Canada: (613) 238-7881, parepottawa@rogers.com

UK: 0870-005-6967, hoc@phclondon.org

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ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC delivers humanitarian aid, trains and supports persecuted pastors, raises awareness in the US regarding the problem of persecution, and is an advocate for the persecuted on Capitol Hill and the State Department. For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.