LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Contrary to published reports, a Christian on trial for alleged “blasphemy” in Rawalpindi, Pakistan is alive and well following a Sept. 25 gun attack by a guard ranting against defamers of the prophet of Islam, sources said. Prison officials and the wife of the accused Christian, Zafar Bhatti, told Morning […]
Christian Blasphemy Suspect Misreported as Slain in Pakistani Jail Is Alive and Well
Police prison guard’s attack raises questions about security.
October 3, 2014 By -
Christian, Hindu in Custody in Pakistan on Accusation of Defiling Koran
Family of convert from Hinduism says Muslims retaliating for refusal to convert to Islam.
September 9, 2014 By -
LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Police in Pakistan have taken into custody a Christian convert from Hinduism and his Hindu co-worker for allegedly burning a Koran and a chart of Koranic verses. The Christian’s family and attorney, however, said Islamist extremist groups have falsely accused the two men in response to an increasing number of […]
Main Suspect in Bhatti Murder in Pakistan Released as Death Threats Stall Prosecution
Islamic extremist intimidation silences witnesses.
July 18, 2014 By -
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – More than three years after the assassination of Pakistan’s first Christian cabinet-level minister, Islamist extremists have silenced prosecution witnesses and the prime suspect was released on bail on July 11, the prosecutor said. With prosecution witnesses unwilling to record their statements in court due to Islamic extremist death threats, there […]
Christian Girl Raped in Pakistan Kept from Medical Care for Two Days
Muslim relatives of suspect issue threats, hold father hostage.
May 2, 2014 By -
LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Threats by the Muslim family of a villager in Punjab Province who raped a 7-year-old Christian girl prevented her from receiving hospital care for two days, sources said. Targeted under the assumption of impunity for Muslims who attack Christians, the young daughter of a farmhand in Malhe Ki village […]
Family of Christian Shot Dead in Pakistan Doubts Suicide Claim
Muslim threatened 24-year-old father of two for declining Islam.
April 17, 2014 By -
LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – The family of a 24-year-old Christian who died yesterday accuses a bank security guard of shooting the young man dead after the guard threatened him for refusing to convert to Islam. Sunny Masih, a father of two, was working as a cleaner at a branch of Bank Islami under construction on Nisbat […]
Christian Couple in Pakistan Sentenced to Death for ‘Blasphemy’
Sentence comes eight days after second Christian handed death penalty.
April 4, 2014 By -
LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A Christian couple in Punjab Province incapable of writing proper Urdu was sentenced to death today for allegedly sending blasphemous text messages, bringing the number of Christians on death row in Pakistan to four. In a country reeling from increasing religious intolerance, the death knell for Shafqat Emmanuel Masih and […]
Attorneys, Rights Groups Blast Death Sentence for Christian in Pakistan
Sawan Masih becomes second Christian on death row for alleged remarks.
March 28, 2014 By -
LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Rights groups and attorneys slammed the death sentence handed down to a Christian yesterday, saying the case for his blasphemy conviction was weak while Muslims who destroyed houses and shops in his neighborhood have been freed on bail. Sawan Masih, now the second Christian on death row on blasphemy charges […]
Islamic Extremist Threats in Pakistan Could Quash Prosecution of Bhatti Murder
Terrorists drive victim’s brother from country, demand release of suspects.
February 14, 2014 By -
LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Suspects in the murder of Pakistan’s first Christian cabinet minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, could walk free due to intimidation tactics by Islamic extremists, Christians fear. The suspects have confessed, according to Dr. Paul Bhatti, brother of former Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti, who was gunned down on March 2, 2011. […]
Morning Star News’ Top 10 Persecution Stories of 2013
In Nigeria, terrorists weren’t the only ones terrorizing Christians.
January 10, 2014 By -
(Morning Star News) – Last year Egypt saw its greatest level of attacks on Christians; more Christians were killed in Syria’s civil war than anywhere else; and an Islamist rebel take-over in the Central African Republic brought new atrocities to the historically unstable country. But where political instability and civil war were not contributing factors, […]
Death Penalty Order Deepens Hard-line Islamist Trend in Pakistan, Critics Say
Ruling could broaden powers of Federal Shariat Court, they fear.
December 30, 2013 By -
LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Compliance with an order that only the death sentence can be given to those convicted of insulting Islam’s prophet will further endanger Christians and increase the powers of the Islamic court that issued it, critics said. While Christians fear that government compliance with the Federal Shariat Court’s (FSC) Dec. 4 […]