Pakistan: Four Christians murdered while riding in a rickshaw, ISIS threats found but ignored
Four members of a Christian family were shot and killed while riding in a rickshaw in Quetta, Pakistan. The family was targeted by gunmen on motorcycles. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.
“While it’s the latest in a spate of attacks on Christians, it’s actually a pamphlet that was left behind at the scene of the crime that’s really captivated the attention of local Christian leaders. And that note read that ‘this is the first episode of genocide against Christians,’” FMI’s Bruce Allen shares.
“Even though the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, the local authorities are downplaying that — saying it was simply a random act of violence. And yet that note left at the scene would speak otherwise,” Allen says.
Sources on the ground claim the government is downplaying the attack and threat as a mean to avoid dealing with the obvious infiltration of Islamic State in the country. Only one media outlet in Pakistan has reported on the homicide: a newspaper published in English, which means most Pakistanis don’t know about this recent attack.
Allen says it seems this note is genuine and there will more than likely be increased attacks against Christians and other minorities.
In fact, just within the past five months, the persecution of Christians has risen.
Christians have experienced a higher volume of physical violence and false blasphemy charges.
“This coincides timing-wise with the rise and popularity of a new political party in Pakistan that’s calling for a strict enforcement of the abusive blasphemy laws,” Allen says. “I can see that this is the trajectory that the country is on in general.”