Pakistan: Catholic Congregation Held Hostage, Church Robbed by Armed Men

On February 19 around nine in the morning, three armed men entered Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic church in Kasur district, Punjab, which is 97% Muslim, and took church personnel, the assistant parish priest Father Ijaz Bashir, and congregation hostage. Before leaving the premises the terrorists stole mobile telephones, cameras and a computer.  This is not the first time the church gets targeted.  Earlier, Father Leopold, the parish priest, was robbed by thieves who “pretended to be ordinary members of the faithful wanting to enroll some children at the parish school. Then they suddenly pulled out guns.”