Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Murdered Christians remembered

byStaff writers
15 August 2010
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

PAKISTAN (ACN News): Nearly 2500 people in Pakistan marking the first anniversary of some of the country’s worst anti-Christian violence listened as a senior police official admitted the security forces had failed in their duty to protect their loved ones and homes.

And, addressing the crowds in the Punjabi city of Gojra, some of the most prominent local Muslims deplored the violence which left eight people dead, describing the culprits as unworthy to be called Muslims and denouncing their actions as against the precepts of the Qur’an.

Amid tight security involving road blocks and a high police presence, Bishop Joseph Coutts of Faisalabad presided at the memorial Mass on August 1 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Gojra.

The most poignant moment came when the bishop lit candles for each of those who died in the violence including Musa Almas, aged seven, his 10-year-old sister Umia and five other members of their family whose pictures were displayed nearby.

The family died on August 1 last year when an accusation under the country’s so-called blasphemy laws sparked violence climaxing in an Islamist armed attack on the Christian quarter of Gojra.

With the situation in Gojra still tense a year later, Bishop Coutts told ACN of his “huge relief” that the memorial events had passed off peacefully – in spite of renewed violence following the recent killing of two Christians outside a Faisalabad court house, an incident again sparked by a blasphemy law allegation.

Speaking to ACN from Faisalabad, the bishop described how, after the memorial Mass, Toba Tek Singh district co-ordinating officer (DCO) Amaan Ullah declared that the police response to the crisis had been inadequate.

Bishop Coutts said: “The DCO admitted that what had happened in Gojra was a failure on the part of the police.

“The police had received sufficient reports to indicate that there was something happening in Gojra that could lead to serious violence.”

The comments come amid claims that the police should have imposed a “Section 144” order in Gojra, set out under Pakistan’s Penal Code, which forbids gatherings of people within a defined area, thereby aiming to eliminate the risk of mob violence.

Related Stories

Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

The Church canonises 10 new saints who shared God’s love

A judicial inquiry has already found fault with the police handling of the Gojra incident but this was the first public admission of its kind.

The bishop went on to say that several senior Muslims, including a “Pir” – “Holy Man” – appeared before the crowds in Gojra to describe the attacks as “un-Islamic”.

“The Pir said Islam does not teach that people should be attacked. He was quite clear about that. People who carry out attacks of this kind are not to be considered Muslims, he said, and the same applies to those who attack places of worship,” Bishop Coutts said.

“The people reacted to this very quietly. Normally after speeches it is the custom here to give some applause but it was different this time.

“In fact, I praised the people for their calm response. Indeed everything went wonderfully well, beyond my expectations – a huge relief.”

Meanwhile, local MP Aamir Joel, a Catholic, promised to put pressure on the release of more government funds pledged as compensation and intended for use to rebuild sewerage services and other vital infrastructure to homes devastated by the Gojra violence.

Government compensation aid has already been used to rebuild homes destroyed in the violence.

 

ShareTweet
Previous Post

An absorbing, original sci-fi thriller

Next Post

Flood help plea

Staff writers

Related Posts

Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

16 May 2022
Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport
QLD

Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

16 May 2022
The Church canonises 10 new saints who shared God’s love
Vatican

The Church canonises 10 new saints who shared God’s love

16 May 2022
Next Post

Flood help plea

MacKillop anniversary celebrated

Leaders call for action on disadvantage

Popular News

  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Hearts ‘fused’ together living their vocation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Church canonises 10 new saints who shared God’s love

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Queensland election: The pro-life political parties committed to abortion law reforms

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

by Mark Bowling
16 May 2022
0

LAIDLEY parishioners in the Lockyer Valley west of Brisbane are relieved after floodwater rose to the top...

Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

16 May 2022
The Church canonises 10 new saints who shared God’s love

The Church canonises 10 new saints who shared God’s love

16 May 2022
Hearts ‘fused’ together living their vocation

Hearts ‘fused’ together living their vocation

15 May 2022
Link between porn and partner violence growing

Link between porn and partner violence growing

14 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping