A young Christian boy was recently badly beaten by his Muslim schoolteacher after he allegedly committed a blasphemous act in class. The incident, which took place in the Pakistani city of Khanewal, has raised concerns about the lack of religious tolerance and justice in the community.
On September 7th, the student was sitting in class with a workbook in front of him. Unable to properly read it, he fiddled with the book and ended up making some rips and tears of its pages. When the teacher saw what he had done, the boy was severely beaten and accused of blasphemy because the book included verses from the Quran. The child was so badly injured during the beating that he ended up in hospital fighting for his life.
At last report, the boy was recuperating at home with his family. No further reports on his present condition, and the safety of this Christian family, have been provided. Regrettably, such incidents frequently result in social stigma, as well as physical dangers from potential mob violence. In addition, there have been no reports of any police action being taken against the abusive teacher. For more information on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, go to our country report.
Pray that God will provide continued comfort, rest and healing to this young child as he deals with the trauma of the painful incident. May the Lord also extend His compassionate love, peace and protection towards him and his family. Pray that justice will not only prevail in this case, but that the Lord would also touch the hearts and minds of people throughout this South Asian nation, so they will demonstrate understanding and acceptance towards those adhering to Christianity rather than reacting in volatile outbursts.