A Pakistani pastor reportedly survived an assassination attempt after being shot and wounded Sunday, according to Voice of America.
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The preacher, Pastor Eleazar Sidhu — identified in some stories by his nickname, Pastor Vicky — was reportedly traveling home Sept. 3, with his son on a motorcycle following a church prayer service when he was attacked.
Sidhu was struck in the shoulder during the shooting incident and subsequently hospitalized.
The potentially deadly violence came after another troubling issue his church faced in recent days. Sidhu, 35, told authorities his house of worship was plastered with Islamic slogans like “Muhammad is the last prophet,” among others.
After he reported the incident to cops, the messages were removed, but his problems intensified, VOA reported.
“Since then, I have been receiving death threats and been falsely accused of blasphemy,” the preacher said in a written document detailing what unfolded. “I call on authorities to ensure my safety and that of my Christian community so we can live in this country without fear.”
And Sidhu wasn’t done there, imploring police to seek justice.
“I demand the criminal involved in this attack and his supporters be brought to justice,” he added.
Sidhu reportedly told authorities he was attacked by a “bearded person” after the individual reportedly demanded Sidhu recite an Islamic profession of faith, the Union of Catholic Asian News reported.
The shooting incident in Jaranwala follows a horrific event Aug. 16 during which churches and Christians’ homes were attacked by Muslim mobs over blasphemy allegations in the same area, the UCA News reported. That incident led to at least 129 arrests.
These incidents are evidence of the Christian persecution continuing to rage in Pakistan, with the nation ranking seventh on the Open Doors’ World Watch List, a ranking of the countries where it’s most challenging to be a believer. Christianity accounts for just 1.8% of the nation’s population, making up 4.2 million out of 229 million people.
“In Pakistan, Christians are considered second-class citizens and are discriminated against in every aspect of public and private life,” the report reads. “Although there were no major attacks against churches last year, there are almost constant attacks against individuals. Believers who have converted from Islam are the most vulnerable to persecution.”
Read more about the issues Christians in Pakistan face here.
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