January 22, 2003	Wednesday	Ziqa’ad 18, 1423

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WASHINGTON, Jan 21: Pakistani Christians living in the United States have demanded a meeting with Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri to discuss a recent threat to their community in Pakistan.

With the request for a meeting, they have sent the embassy a copy of a message apparently distributed by a group called Jesh Ahle-i-Alqiblat Al Jihadi Alsari Al Alami. The message urges Muslims to convert Pakistani Christians and “kill those who refuse to convert.”

“The pamphlet is being distributed in various parts of Pakistan,” said a Christian leader. He said religious extremists blamed Christians for the Taliban’s defeat and were targeting Pakistani Christians in retaliation. “The violence against Christians could escalate if Iraq is attacked,” he added.

Another Christian leader reminded “Pakistanis back home” that Pakistani Christians in America were fully cooperating with the government and other Pakistanis in their struggle to get the country off the US government’s registration list.

“The registration is painful but not as much as living under a death threat,” he said.

He said recently some Christian children in Pakistan received bombs wrapped in Christmas gifts and a church in Daska was attacked on the Christmas day. Three people were killed and 16 injured. “This is definitely more serious than the INS registration,” he said and urged the government to protect Christians.