Three hundred churches across the Bradford district will take part in a day of prayer for persecuted Christians in Pakistan.
The national event, organised by the Pakistan-Asian Christian Welfare Association Bradford, is aimed at raising awareness of violent events in Christian settlements in Pakistan over the past two decades.
The day of prayer takes place on Sunday, August 2, with more than 200 people expected to attend a service at Bradford Cathedral.
Jim Dutt, chairman of the Pakistan-Asian Christian Welfare Association Bradford, has contacted the Queen, Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Archbishop of Canterbury about the event and has got 1,000 churches nationally involved.
“The gathering will express solidarity with the thousands of Christians in Pakistan who have been suffering at the hands of Islamic Militants,” he said.
“Since 1987 83 churches have been destroyed and more than 200 Christian men, women, children and old people have been killed. It is a distressing situation. The purpose of this day of prayer is to motivate people and churches to what’s happening.”
Mr Dutt said the Bradford association became active in 1997 after the destruction of the Pakistani Christian village of Shanti-Nagar where more than 30,000 Muslim militants destroyed churches, houses, schools and medical centres, leaving 50,000 people homeless.
“Last month Muslim militants attacked a Christian settlement in Teaser near Karachi,” he said.
“Extremists executed two men and an 11-year-old Christian boy, and churches and houses were destroyed.”
In an appeal to churches to get involved, the Very Reverend David Ison, Dean of Bradford Cathedral, said it also observed that “... many who are true and peaceful Muslims continue to support the cause of Pakistani Christians in the face of violence and intimidation.”
He said the prayers were also for persecuted members of other religious groups in Pakistan.
The Bradford Cathedral event takes place on Sunday, August 2, from 4pm to 6pm.
(Telegraph and Argus)
