The British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA) issued cautious praise for government security forces, after an all-out massacre of a Christian community near Peshawar, northern Pakistan, was prevented by security forces on Friday morning.
The targeted Christian community 30 families on the Pakistan-Afganistan border was infiltrated by four suicide bombers from the Jama-ul-Ahrar faction of the Pakistani Taliban. They first attempted to storm the local church early in the morning in an attempt to slaughter the Christian worshipers. They were early, however, and only the security guard was present and he managed to hold off the attackers just long enough to be able to call security forces; he was ultimately killed by the terrorists.
The Islamic terrorists then attempted to blow themselves up inside individual Christian homes, hoping to kill as many citizens as possible, but were met by security forces who had been alerted by the heroic guard.
Two of the terrorists were killed in a gun battle, and two others self-exploded, without causing other casualties.
Pakistani intelligence sources said the terrorists’ original intended target was a nearby military camp and school. Only when they saw that this option was not viable did they opt to try wipe out the Christian community.
“Though they are in great fear of another attack,” said BPCA Chairman Wilson Chowdhry, “Pakistani Christians have praised security forces. The current government has a long way to go, but is exhibiting signs of good governance towards minorities.
The fact that Christians are so often the target in terrorist plots is starting to register,” he added, “and security strategies have improved as a consequence.”
BPCA was founded in 2009, Chowdhry told Clarion Project earlier this summer, after a large-scale murderous Muslim attack against a Christian wedding in the town of Gorja in 2009. Riled up by false claims of blasphemy, a Muslim mob razed 200 Christian homes and two churches, and murdered nine people at a wedding – including the bride and groom.
The BPCA seeks to address the lack of media attention and scant governmental care regarding attacks against the Pakistani Christian minority.
Muslim terrorists were more successful in recent days, killing 13 Christians in an attack in the Khyber Pakhtunkwa area.
Last month, an accident between a Christian boy riding a motorbike and a Muslim man led to mass Muslim attack on Christians in a town near Faisalabad in Pakistan.
Many Christians were able to flee the town, but some men and women were captured and brutally beaten by the mob.
A complaint later filed with the police against the Muslims who instigated the attack was ignored by police, who as is common practice when Christians complain against Muslims – refused to register it.