Christian Village Attacked in Pakistan, Church Leaders Express Solidarity
Church leaders in Pakistan have expressed their solidarity with the residents of the Christian community of Sangla Hill following the destruction of their property by around 2,000 Muslims.
Posted: Tuesday, November 15 , 2005, 11:30 (UK)

A delegation of church leaders to the Christian community of Sangla Hill, Pakistan, expressed their solidarity after around 2,000 Muslims destroyed churches and Christian properties, following allegations that a young Christian had burned a copy of the Qu’ran, reports AsiaNews.

Members of the delegation included Monsignor Lawrence John Saldanha, Archbishop of Lahore Catholic diocese, Bishop Alexander John Malik, Moderator of the Church of Pakistan, Victor Azraiah, National Council of Churches in Pakistan.

Bishop Samuel Azariah, representative of The Salvation Army, Fr. Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, national director of the National Commission of Justice and Peace (NCJP), and Fr. Andrew Ansari, Vicar General of Lahore Catholic dioceses, were also among the delegation.

Mgr Lawrence John Saldanha, Archbishop of Lahore Archdiocese and Chairman National Commission for Justice and Peace, told AsiaNews that, "the attack seems to have been planned and organized as the attackers were brought to the site in buses and instigated to commit violence and arson. Story