Prayer diary: Pakistan

A year ago, Pakistan saw its first ever successful transfer of power from one democratically elected government to another. The new government has pledged to make a difference and resolve Pakistans energy, economic and terrorism problems; but its first year has been dominated by a debate between the government and the army on whether to make peace or fight the terrorists.

After last September’s deadly double-suicide bombing at All Saints Church in Peshawar, many Pakistanis publically condemned attacks against minorities. The massive death toll of 131 shocked the nation, and sadly various attacks against minorities continue; including bombings and burnings of Hindu temples, and frequent attacks on Shi’a Muslims.

This week, please…

• Pray that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his government would act justly and with wisdom as they seek economic stability, the safety of all citizens and the marginalisation of extremists;
• Pray for unity in the Pakistani Church, especially for understanding between denominations and the less-organised house-church movements;
• Pray for MPs from the Christian, Hindu, Sikh and Shi’a minorities, that they would work together for the minorities they represent – especially for the outspoken third-term Christian MP Asiya Nasir;
• Ask God to comfort and strengthen the Christian community in Peshawar, still suffering from the injuries and trauma of the deadly bombing;
• Thank God for the increasing fraternity between Christians and sympathetic Muslims and the work being done to promote that;
• Pray for justice for a young Christian man, Savan Masih and a Christian couple, Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar, sentenced to death for blasphemy and being held in separate jails;
• Pray for the Christian communities in Lahore: Joseph Colony, where over 3,000 people were forced to flee after homes were burned down by a violent mob in March 2013; and Yohannabad, a largely Christian and extremely poor area, surrounded by extremist Islamic schools.