ICC Note:  A group of armed Muslims attacked a Christian church in Pakistan because they had an Easter banner hanging outside of the church. Several congregants were injured during the attack and taken to the hospital. The police have three Muslim suspects in custody.

3/20/2018 Pakistan (Sight) – Armed violence broke out in eastern Pakistan on Sunday over an Easter banner hung outside a church.

The incident took place in a Christian colony in Burewala, Punjab province. Police intervened and arrested three Muslim suspects, while seven injured Christians were taken to a local hospital.

The church’s pastor, Haleem Masih, took the matter to the local police, where he filed a First Information Report, which stated: “Today at about 1pm I was conducting a worship service when [a group of men, including a government official], equipped with firearms, barged into the church. As soon as they entered, [two of them] forcibly took down gospel verses written on banners, while shouting abusive words, tore them into pieces and then denigrated them by throwing them down.”

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