Attack On Pakistani Christian Family For Refusing to Convert

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on September 28, Islamists attacked the home of a Christian family for refusing to convert to Islam in Murree, a town near the Pakistan capital of Islamabad.

Rafiq Mashi Bhatti and his family had lived in peace and harmony with their Muslim neighbors for years. However, in the past few months, they received anonymous phone calls and letters warning them to convert to Islam, leave their home or die.

The threatening letters were inscribed with verses from the
Qur’an, including Sura 5: 51 which reads, “O ye who believe!
take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends...”

In one of the letters, the Christian family was told, “You
Christians are agents of US led forces…Therefore it is our
religious duty to wipe out all Christians from Islamic Holy
land of Pakistan.”

The family reported the death threats to the police but the
police were unable to prevent the attack. The police are
investigating the attack but the unknown assailants remain at
large.

ICC’s Jonathan Racho said, “This latest attack once again
highlights the insecurity that Pakistani Christians are living
with. Despite promises to protect Christians, they continue to
face attacks in Pakistan. We urge Pakistan to fully
investigate the attack against Rafiq and his family and bring
the perpetrators to justice. We call upon Pakistani police to
protect Rafiq and his family from further violence.”