Okara: Monday midnight, five armed men entered into the House of Rev.Hanook David,who is the priest of Lahore Diocese Church of Pakistan under the Bishop of Lahore Rt.Rev.Irfan Jamil at Village 2 Chak Bait Ul Ham,and made hostage the Priest and his whole family for four hours.The robbers robbed the priest and forcibly snatched all valuable household things including some gold jewelry.
In the meanwhile,the watchman heard the crying and noise of Children and his wife.The watchman made awaken the whole Christian village and surrounded the priest's house.The other three unknown accomplice of the robbers run away to see the villagers coming towards them.
The robbers opened firing at the villagers and also shooting at Priest and his family but they all miraculously be saved.The Christian villagers competed bravely with the robbers and rescued the hostage family of the priest.
The case FIR No.138/14 was registered at Police Station Chuchak on 3 June,2014 under sections 395/458,412 PPC 13,20/65 AO against the robbers and now in jail.
Today,Rev.Saleem Masih D.S Pattoki along with Rev.Hanook David and Rev.Azmat Nadeem came in the office of LEAD and met with Advocate Sardar Mushtaq Gill,a Human Rights Defender and Chief of LEAD and requested legal assistance in the case.They told that the relatives of the robbers were making threats to burn the whole Christian village as recently they burnt Joseph Colony,Lahore if they would not agree to compromise with them and made released the robbers from jail by giving statement in the favour of the robbers.
"My family is not saved now in that village and I have requested the Rt.Rev.Irfan Jamil Bishop of Lahore to transfer me some other Church congregation",told Rev.Hanook David.
"I have also requested to police for security and also to Bishop of Lahore to give me some security for our safety because now the relatives of robbers are openly making threats to me to face dire consequences if I would not compromise with them.We have seen death very near to us because the robbers opened firing at us but Our Lord Jesus saved us ,"he added further.
"This is Christian village and other Muslim villages are very jealous and prejudice with this village,that's why they often attack on Church and Priest and on other Christian villagers,"told Rev.Saleem.
"I was also appointed priest in this Christian village and same was happened with me and my family,"told Rev.Nadeem.
They said there had been a number of such incidents in the Village, including
the robbery in 2010 of Rev.Azmat who was tied up by four intruders and
tortured.
We at LEAD will provide free legal assistance in this case and will stand with Church of Pakistan's Priests in every bad situation or incident.
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