On Easter Monday 2018, four Christians from a Christian family while travelling by rickshaw was killed in Quetta city. They were gunned down on their way and ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) has claimed the responsiblity.
As per the report of CNN, ISIS ordered one of its militants’ ‘covert unit’ to target a number of the combatant Christians. The terrorist group said that their fighters shot them with a pistol resulting in the death of fours. Then, they praised Allah for it.
ISIS Kills Pakistani Christian Family on Easter Monday
The reports from Police have confirmed that the Christian family was returning from market when armed men on motorcycle opened fire on them. Only a young Christian girl survived the attack, though she was wounded due to the firing. But, her father and three cousins couldn’t survive.
As per the statement of provincial police officer Moazzam Jah Ansari, it was an act of terrorism and seemed a targeted attack.
Hearing the news, the British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA) came into the support and said that they have warned Pakistani goverment from time to time of increasing ISIS threats, but they have failed to stop them. This organization has been monitoring and providing support for Christian victims of violence and persecution in the Muslim-dominated nations.
It is really heart-breaking if the little girl survives, she will have lost her immediate family in such a tragic accident. The BPCA will be providing the required assistance to the young girl. It is widely known that non-muslims are facing a torrid time in Pakistan. They are living under constant threat from extermists groups.
Chowdhry said that despite knowing the tragic condition, the Western nations have been ignoring the plights of Pakistani minority Christian population. They face regular discrimation and oftely targeted by blasphemy laws and have been portrayed threatening in the nation’s textbooks.
Christians seem to have been stuck at the worst corner of the world. Millions have been made slaves or used to take sewerage and cleaning jobs which started with portraying them as untouchables. Pakistanti government seems to have been doing nothing to protect Christians and other minorities.
Pak govt. must alter laws, remove prejudice, improve the educational system (national curriculum) highlighting the contribution made by the minorities, and the baseless condemnation should be stopped by giving them chance to represent minorities in the political and legal system.
It’s not the first time when ISIS has attacked in Pakistan. A bigger attack was carried out on Christians in December during a Sunday pre-Christmas service, in Quetta itself. The radical group bombed the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in which 10 lost their lives and more than 50 others were injured.
In 2016, a massive attack took place on Easter Sunday. In this particular attack, 69 were killed – both Muslims and Christians. It happened in a children’s park in Lahore where families came to celebrate the Christian holiday.