The killing of four unlinked minority individuals in Pakistan during the Islamic festival of  Ramadan, may be a sign of increasing hostility towards non-Muslims in the country.

Dr. Birbal a Hindu from Karachi,  Sardar Diyal Singh a Sikh from Peshawar and two Christian men  Kashif Masih from Peshawar and Pervaiz Masih from Okara were all gunned down in unexplained killings.

Minority communities across the country are in terror that they may be the next victims.

The Christian family of Kashif Masih have informed BACA that police have told them that his murder has been declared a terrorist attack by local police.

Police in Pakistan have been unsuccessful in arresting any of the culprits involved in any of these murders.

The recent 2021 Census of England and Wales declared a large reduction in the number of people who identify as Christians in the UK, a figure that is said to have now illustrated Christianity is a minority faith. 

Though those who describe themselves as Christian is still the largest percentage of our population, a decrease from 59% in 2011 to 46% of the population in 2021 is a wake up call for the Church.

Respondents who said they had no religion rose from 25% to 37%, while adherents to Islam rose from 5% to 6.5%.

Adherents to all other major faiths remained roughly stable.  You can read more about this data (here)

Though churches across the globe seem to be seeing a fall in numbers, the Pentecostal Church seems to be bucking the trend. 

There are many reports, that suggest it is the fastest growing religion in the world. 

Hopes for the release of Pakistan’s longest serving blasphemy prisoner ever have risen, despite what seems like intentional court delays.

The High Court Bench Rawalpindi once again canceled the hearing of Zafar Bhatti after fixing it for 9th March 2023.

Sheer disappointment shattered  the hopes of Nawab Bibi, the wife of Zafar Bhatti who has been apart from her husband for 10 years.

The country’s most successful blasphemy lawyer Saif-Ul-Malook has prepared a video message, in which he states that Pakistan’s judicial system is itself criminal.

Mr Malook has also stated that he is confident that Zafar Bhatti will be set free after a trial hearing, a message the likes of which he has never shared before a trial.

Over 50 needy people received hot meals, other food and bibles during our distribution on Saturday 8th April.  

Many other regular food charities stopped serving during this period but we have served on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Saturday every year.

For many homeless people our service has become a necessity and we are known for the variety of food we provide and our opening throughout holiday periods.

Our regular Thursday, Friday and Saturday distribution is the most popular amongst Redbridge’s homeless.  Many of whom queue for hours to be the first to receive our food.

Pak-Christians are fearing the new year celebrations in Thailand named Songkran, an internationally known water festival.

Fears are based on the pickpocketing, water damage to phones and arrests of asylum-seekers and refugees in Thailand, who are all deemed illegal in a country that has not ratified UN Conventions on asylum.

The same Christians are pining for a return of Easter and Christmas worship services.  BACA have not been holding them for the last two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the annual asylum crackdown held in December.

British Asian Christian Association has been surprised at the lackadaisical response from the MET and Essex Police, in response to a Muslim man who threatened to urinate on the Bible in a public place in the UK.

The reaction seems to be in complete contrast to their involvement in a public meeting where a frightened mother had to plead for her son’s life after 4 school pupils were accused of desecrating the Koran (click here).

Headteachers suspended the 4 children involved in the horseplay that resulted in some minor scuffing of the Koran, and local councillors became heavily involved in brokering peace.

West Yorkshire Police failed to arrest or convict any of the people who threatened the lives of the children – though one perpetrator was warned by police.

Despite months of complaining and contacting the MET and Essex Police about the threat to urinate on the Bible in a public place, absolutely nothing has been done to even warn the Tik Tok user named Master Kalyogi Rafidhi for his outburst.  

British Asian Christian Association, recently contributed to an article in Christianisme Aujourd’hui.  

If you are a french reader you can read the article in the link below.  

Though we believe the transcript we copied can be google translated into English from our website.

A former illiterate Christian orphan – the only surviving member of his family, after his 10 year old brother Badil Masih was sodomized and killed by Muslim employers, is showing good progress in his education.   

Soojal Masih was saved from a life of child labour and a future of illiteracy when British Asian Christian Association, found him after a number of months living with an uncle.  He had been shunted from home to home amongst his maternal and paternal uncles.  

Preparations were being made for Soojal to become a hairdressing labourer for his uncle, so he could earn his keep till BACA stepped in.