Karachi, Pakistan, Apr 27, 2009 / 21:29 pm
Last Wednesday’s anti-Christian violence in Karachi left 15 people wounded and resulted in the houses of 15 Christian families being set on fire, putting Christians on alert as the Taliban increases its influence in Pakistan.
Fr. Mario Rodriguez, the Karachi-based Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies of Pakistan, told Fides news agency that several Taliban members were caught spraying offensive and intimidating messages on the walls of a church.
The vandals were stopped by a group of Christians, but they returned with over 40 armed soldiers who began firing on the gathered Christians. Fifteen were wounded, one man seriously.
The mob then began to sack the nearby houses of 15 Christian families, later setting them on fire.
Police arrived and imposed a ceasefire in the neighborhood. Local communities are seeking protection and justice from the local government, Fides says.