The long road to justice - CLAAS UK

UK: October 20, 2009, (PCTV Newsdesk)

It has been more than a month now since Muslims unleashed a deadly attack on Christians in Gojra.  Yet the full horror is still being felt among Christians not only in Pakistan but around the world. 

The US Consulate offered aid to the victims and they resolutely refused to receive it, instead demanding that which they truly desire - justice.  This is the first time Christians have refused to accept aid in spite of their obvious need, a sign of just how desperate they are that this time the killings will be the last.  

Although they are starving for justice, our sense is that the road is going to be a long one.  Unbelievably, the perpetrators have been released on bail, able to walk around scott free, while innocent Christians have been detained in police custody for fighting against the Muslim fanatics in self defence. 

Christians have made it clear that they want nothing else but justice, but how can the government deliver such justice when the political situation in Pakistan is so unstable?  The national and provincial governments have gone some way to showing their concern for the plight of Christians but the bail release of the principle suspect behind the Gojra violence tells a different story.

Now is not the time to simply wait and watch.  It is time for action and we must all play our role to ensure that justice is done for the victims of Gojra and other instances of unmerited violence, intimidation and false accusations of blasphemy against Christians. 

We must continue to support and remember our persecuted brothers and sisters in our daily prayers, those who are still going through hardship for their faith.  And we must pray for the police, judges and the Pakistani government, so that they will not be influenced by anyone else, but do as they should and bring justice to the victims of Gojra.