Recent attacks by radical neighbors on a church in a small Christian community near Karachi, Pakistan, endangered the lives of a pastor, his family, and his congregation.
On October 24, 2023, a group mainly comprised of fruit and vegetable sellers with extremist ideologies targeted the church during a prayer service. One of the vendors arrived at the church grounds in a drunken stupor with his cart, which he used to block the church gate, preventing the congregation from entering.
A woman confronted the intoxicated fruit seller, requesting he move aside to allow a clear path for those worshiping at the church, but the man refused. The pastor’s son then urged the aggressor to stop his behavior and move away from the church. The man again refused and responded with abuse and physical violence, leading Paul*, the pastor of the church, to intervene.
Despite Pastor Paul’s efforts to mediate the confrontation, the man remained hostile. The conflict drew the attention of neighbors who sided with the pastor and his son, temporarily diffusing the situation. The trouble soon continued, however.
“In a matter of minutes, the drunk man returned with a group of…
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