Hello-(assalam o alaiqum in pakistani! )So far being at Morris, MN; I (Sal)have yet to meet someone from Pakistan. I went to school with one back in the elementary school days, but that was just one.
E-mail Forward Prayer Request
*Jesus is the only peace who was born from the Middle East
Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2001 09:22:31 -0800
PRAYER:
Merciful God, you made all of the people of the world in your own image
and have placed before us the pathway of salvation through your saints
and prophets. Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away
the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls
that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our
struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in justice, peace
and harmony around your heavenly throne. (Amen)
PRAYER:
Merciful God, please give to peoples of the world the required wisdom and
determination, to learn to live in peace like brothers and sisters, by
ending the divisions and hatreds created by our past and present elders.
(Amen)
MOVEMENT FOR REFORMING SOCIETY (from religious tolerance).
Buhari's Pakistani Famous Dishes
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Faisalabad
Faisalabad Pakistan
THE ISLAMABAD CITY PAKISTAN'S CAPITAL
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Christian faces blasphemy death sentence
Humanitarian
In his bestselling and award-winning book, Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time, Relin tells the stirring tale of Greg Mortenson, an American mountain climber and nurse who becomes an unlikely champion of education through the accidental relationship he developed with a remote village in Pakistan while recovering from a failed attempt to summit K2.
...
UPDATE:
Language
Military
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Final Moments inside Bin Laden's House
Ministries
Miscellaneous
Pakistan Part 1
Missions
Music
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Natural Disasters
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Brickyards of Pakistan
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Muslim prostitute speaks about prostitution in Lahore, Pakistan
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Thousands Accepting Jesus In Pakistan
Travel
From: REFORMER
To: mcccm@cda.mrs.umn.edu
Subject: PRAYER REQUEST
Muslimabad, Near Fatehgarh Canal Bridge, Moghalpura,
Lahore-54840,
PAKISTAN.
Recommended Resources
"Welcome to the Pakistani Students Association at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. As a student organization we seek to bring together Pakistani students and faculty on campus and within the greater Twin Cities community. Through our various events each semester we hope to raise public awareness and promote an understanding of Pakistan, its culture, its heritage, and its politics. We also aim to serve and provide an avenue for students to come together to learn about Pakistan and comfortably adjust to the Twin Cities campus.
PSA is open to all students. Checking our website is a great way to be informed of upcoming events, meet the board members, learn about the activities we organize, give us your input, and of course sign up to join PSA! Please feel free to contact any of the board members with any questions or ideas; or you can email us at psa@umn.edu."
"..PSA Mankato can improve the website please email us @ psa.mnsu@gmail.com..
Foods
7814 Portland Ave S
Bloomington , MN 55420
Phone: 952-888-2779
8085 Wedgewood
Maple Grove, MN 55369
"
Established in 2006, Kabobs is a family owned and operated restaurant that brings to the Twin Cities an unprecedented experience in South Asian dishes. Kabobs is one stop shop for the epicureans in the Twin Cities. It serves up mouth watering dishes from the Indian sub-continent. The “sizzling” kabobs and many other specialty dishes would make you want to come to us again and again.
In the Twin Cities there are a number of Indian restaurants, but Kabob’s is the only Restaurant that serves a variety of food which includes Hyderabadi, Pakistani & North Indian, at very affordable prices. In fact there are no Indian Restaurants in the Twin Cities that can beat our taste, food quality and the prices. The best of the traditional Indian & Pakistani cuisine that we offer is also complimented with our new Indian and Chinese fusion dishes (termed as Indo-Chinese). Every item that is on our menu is prepared with TLC to ensure consistency and good quality.
Family Fights To Get Mother Out Of Pakistan, May 29, 2009 10:44 pm US/Central (WCCO.com)
"A Somerset, Wis. family wants to know why it's taken more than a year to get their mother to the United States from Pakistan.
Naseem Francis has been away from her family for 14 months, ever since her husband was forced to leave Pakistan without her. As attacks in that country increase, her family says it isn't safe for her to stay there alone.
Jessica met Bernard Francis studying in Pakistan. After eight years of marriage, two children and another on the way, they thought both of Bernard's parents would leave Pakistan to be a part of their life in the U.S. They even built their home so both families could live in it.
"For a long time I was saying 'today could be the day.' I don't think I've said that for a while now," Jessica said.
Bernard's parents, Saleem and Naseem, applied for visas nearly two years ago. His father, Saleem, was almost immediately approved. He was forced to leave his wife in Pakistan, or his paperwork would've expired. After 38 years of marriage, he hasn't seen Naseem in 14 months.
"It has been tough. I've always been thinking about her," Saleem said.
Naseem lives in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. It's the same city where Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in 2007. Naseem lives with three other single women and is Catholic. Her family believes that makes her more of a target for Islamic extremists.
"Especially as things have gotten more and more perilous in Pakistan. We can't accept that anymore," Jessica said.
That's why they've gone door-to-door to get signatures for a petition and taken their fight online at SaveNaseem.com to get lawmakers' attention.
The Francis family has been told the problem is that Naseem doesn't have a last name and her first name is very common, so it's more difficult to move her through.
WCCO-TV contacted Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl, who is working on this case. His office couldn't tell WCCO what was going on, but a spokesperson told the Francis family it's been the longest wait the office has seen for a visa.
"
3135 Olive Lane N
Minneapolis, MN 55447-1691 map
"The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal (Mongol) Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but discussions and confidence-building measures have led to decreased tensions since 2002"
"ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan has blocked vital supply routes for U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan and demanded Washington vacate a base used by American drones after coalition aircraft allegedly killed 24 Pakistani troops at two posts along a mountainous frontier that serves as a safe haven for militants.
The incident Saturday was a major blow to American efforts to rebuild an already tattered alliance vital to winding down the 10-year-old Afghan war. Islamabad called the bloodshed in one of its tribal areas a "grave infringement" of the country's sovereignty, and it could make it even more difficult for the U.S. to enlist Pakistan's help in pushing Afghan insurgents to engage in peace talks.
A NATO spokesman said it was likely that coalition airstrikes caused Pakistani casualties, but an investigation was being conducted to determine the details. If confirmed, it would be the deadliest friendly fire incident by NATO against Pakistani troops since the Afghan war began a decade ago.
A prolonged closure of Pakistan's two Afghan border crossings to NATO supplies could cause serious problems for the coalition. The U.S., which is the largest member of the NATO force in Afghanistan, ships more than 30 percent of its non-lethal supplies through Pakistan. The coalition has alternative routes through Central Asia into northern Afghanistan, but they are costlier and less efficient.
Pakistan temporarily closed one of its Afghan crossings to NATO supplies last year after U.S. helicopters accidentally killed two Pakistani soldiers. Suspected militants took advantage of the impasse to launch attacks against stranded or rerouted trucks carrying NATO supplies. The government reopened the border after about 10 days when the U.S. apologized. NATO said at the time the relatively short closure did not significantly affect its ability to keep its troops supplied.
But the reported casualties are much greater this time, and the relationship between Pakistan and the U.S. has severely deteriorated over the last year, especially following the covert American raid that killed Osama bin Laden in a Pakistani garrison town in May. Islamabad was outraged that it wasn't told about the operation beforehand.
The government announced it closed its border crossings to NATO in a statement issued after an emergency meeting of the Cabinet's defense committee chaired by Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
It also said that within 15 days the U.S. must vacate Shamsi Air Base, which is located in southwestern Baluchistan province. The U.S. uses the base to service drones that target al-Qaida and Taliban militants in Pakistan's tribal region when they cannot return to their bases inside Afghanistan because of weather conditions or mechanical difficulty, said U.S. and Pakistani officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive strategic matters.
The government also plans to review all diplomatic, military and intelligence cooperation with the U.S. and other NATO forces, according to the statement issued after the defense committee meeting.
The White House said that senior U.S. civilian and military officials had expressed their condolences to their Pakistani counterparts.
The White House statement said the officials expressed "our desire to work together to determine what took place, and our commitment to the U.S.-Pakistan partnership which advances our shared interests, including fighting terrorism in the region."
The White House statement did not address Pakistan's decision to block supply routes for the war in Afghanistan or its demand that the U.S. vacate the drone base.
The Pakistani army said Saturday that NATO helicopters and fighter jets carried out an "unprovoked" attack on two of its border posts in the Mohmand tribal area before dawn, killing 24 soldiers and wounding 13 others. The troops responded in self-defense "with all available weapons," an army statement said.
Pakistan army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani condemned the attack, calling it a "blatant and unacceptable act," according to the statement.
A spokesman for NATO forces, Brig. Gen. Carsten Jacobson, said Afghan and coalition troops were operating in the border area of eastern Afghanistan when "a tactical situation" prompted them to call in close air support. It is "highly likely" that the airstrikes caused Pakistani casualties, he told BBC television.
"My most sincere and personal heartfelt condolences go out to the families and loved ones of any members of Pakistan security forces who may have been killed or injured," Gen. John Allen, the top overall commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said in a statement.
The border issue is a major source of tension between Islamabad and Washington, which is committed to withdrawing its combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
Much of the violence in Afghanistan is carried out by insurgents who are based just across the border in Pakistan. Coalition forces are not allowed to cross the frontier to attack the militants. However, the militants sometimes fire artillery and rockets across the line, reportedly from locations close to Pakistani army posts.
American officials have repeatedly accused Pakistani forces of supporting — or turning a blind eye — to militants using its territory for cross-border attacks. But militants based in Afghanistan have also been attacking Pakistan recently, prompting complaints from Islamabad.
The two posts that were attacked Saturday were located about 1,000 feet (300 meters) apart on a mountain top and were set up recently to stop Pakistani Taliban militants holed up in Afghanistan from crossing the border and staging attacks, said local government and security officials.
There was no militant activity in the area when the alleged NATO attack occurred, local officials said. Some of the soldiers were standing guard, while others were asleep, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
Pakistan army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said map references of all of the force's border posts have been given to NATO several times.
Pakistan's prime minister summoned U.S. Ambassador Cameron Munter to protest the alleged NATO strike, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. It said the attack was a "grave infringement of Pakistan's sovereignty" and could have serious repercussions on Pakistan's cooperation with NATO.
Munter said in a statement that he regretted any Pakistani deaths and promised to work closely with Islamabad to investigate the incident.
The U.S., Pakistan, and Afghan militaries have long wrestled with the technical difficulties of patrolling a border that in many places is disputed or poorly marked. Saturday's incident took place a day after a meeting between NATO's Gen. Allen and Pakistan army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in Islamabad to discuss border operations.
The meeting tackled "coordination, communication and procedures ... aimed at enhancing border control on both sides," according to a statement from the Pakistani side.
The U.S. helicopter attack that killed two Pakistani soldiers on Sept. 30 of last year took place south of Mohmand in the Kurram tribal area. A joint U.S.-Pakistan investigation found that Pakistani soldiers fired at the two U.S. helicopters prior to the attack, a move the investigation team said was likely meant to notify the aircraft of their presence after they passed into Pakistani airspace several times.
A U.S. airstrike in June 2008 reportedly killed 11 Pakistani paramilitary troops during a clash between militants and coalition forces in the tribal region."
"TOBA TEK SINGH, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Christians from the city of Toba Tek Singh have condemned the killings of citizens by NATO forces in Pakistan.
A mourning prayer service was organized for 26 Pakistani security personnel killed in a battle with NATO forces last week.
Christians in Toba Tek Singh including kids, youth and older people came from different areas to District Office of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) to join the mourning prayer service.
One of the organizers of the prayer service, Ashfaq Fateh, welcomed those who attended the prayer.
He said, “Pakistan has been scarifying its own people since the war on terror has been launched, however drone attacks killing civilians and security personnel is enhancing anger against NATO.
"The government of Pakistan has lost the support of people over the war on terror. The recent NATO strikes at Pak Army’s Salala Check Post of Baye Zie Tehsil bordering Afghanistan have created unrest in the country.
"Countrywide mourning and protests have been broken out. Christians of Toba Tek Singh deeply grieved over the killings of Pak Army’ personnel and stand united with the nation.”
During the prayer service, Rev. Fr. Simon Khurshid, parish priest of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, prayed for the Pakistan Army’s personnel killed in the air strikes and their families. He prayed that God would bless all those who serve the nation to protect it from the militants.
Pastor Victor, Founder of Grace Bible Church, prayed for peace and security in the country. He asked for God’s help to fill the Pakistani nation with the spirit of tolerance, love, hope and service and for lasting peace in the country.
Pastor B. M. Ehtasham, founder Lovers of Christ Ministries Pakistan, remembered the families who lost their sons in the air strikes and prayed that that God would give them the power to bear the loss of their loved ones. He also prayed for the leadership of the country to make wise decisions at this
difficult time.
Youth leader Johnson Gill said: “We have been taught to mourn and protest peacefully. We do not believe in taking revenge or a burning flags of other nations. We condemn the killings wherever it happens because we believe in fullness of life.”
Rasheed Jalal, District President PML N (minorities) reminded the Christians that God has promised the Crown of Life for those who remain faithful until death, and that God commands us to remain faithful to Him and their country.
Ch. Amjid Ali Javed, District President PML N, thanked the Christian brothers for taking the lead to organize a peaceful mourning.
The mourners lit candles and remained silent to express solidarity with the Pakistan Army and reiterated their commitment to promote peace and harmony in the country.
"
" Uploaded on Feb 13, 2010
(The singer is Shafqat Ali Khan)
Faisalabad is a city in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. It was formerly known as Lyallpur. Faisalabad is the third largest city in Pakistan after Karachi and Lahore. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has risen from 9,171 in 1901 to 179,000 in 1951 and to 2,009,000 in 1998. The larger Faisalabad district had a population of about 5.4 million in 1998.
Faisalabad was once part of ancient district of Jhang and Sandalbar, a 50 square kilometres (19 sq mi) part mainly consisted of thick forests and wild tribes. The tract from Shahdara to Shorekot, Sangla Hill to Toba Tek Singh, was traditionally called Sandalbar.
"
Clock Tower, Faisalabad
" Uploaded on Aug 10, 2010
The foundation stone of Clock Tower (Ghanta Ghar), Faisalabad was laid on 14th November 1903 by Sir Charles Pawaz, the Governor of Punjab. The tower was completed in December 1905 and inaugurated by Sir Lion Toper, finance commissioner.
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Islamabad Zero Point to Rawalpindi Saddar
"Published on Feb 17, 2013
Islamabad Zero Point to Rawalpindi Saddar on Honda Shadow Phantom 2012. Route is via Islamabad Highway and Murree Road. Milestones are Zero Point, Faizabad, 6th Road Flyover, Chandani Chowk Flyover, Comittee Chowk Underpass, Marir Chowk (under construction) and ending at St. Paul's Church at Mall Road.
"
Islamabad
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"...is the capital city of Pakistan and the ninth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.15 million as of 2011. The greater Islamabad-Rawalpindi Metropolitan Area is the third largest conurbation in Pakistan with a population of over 4.5 million inhabitants.[3] Since its foundation, Islamabad has attracted people from all over Pakistan, making it one of the most cosmopolitan and urbanised cities of Pakistan. Islamabad as the capital, is the seat of Government of Pakistan, the Presidential Palace known as the Aiwan-e-Sadr is also located here. Islamabad is home to the Pakistan Monument, which is one of the two national monument's of Pakistan.
Islamabad is a modern city located in the Pothohar Plateau in the northeastern part of the country, within the Islamabad Capital Territory. The region has historically been a part of the crossroads of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Margalla pass acting as the gateway between the two regions.[4] The city was built during the 1960s to replace Karachi as Pakistan's capital. Islamabad is a well-organised international city divided into several different sectors and zones. It is regarded as the most developed city in Pakistan and is ranked as a Gamma- world city.[5] The city is home to Faisal Mosque, the largest mosque in South Asia[6] and the fourth largest mosque in the world.[7][8]
Islamabad has the highest literacy rate in Pakistan.[9] There are 16 recognised universities in Islamabad including some of the top-ranked universities in Pakistan; Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences, and National University of Sciences and Technology.[10] Allama Iqbal Open University in Islamabad is one of the world's largest universities by enrollment. Islamabad has the lowest rate of infant mortality in the country at 38 deaths per thousand compared to the national average of 78 deaths per thousand. Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Islamabad is one of the largest hospitals in Pakistan....
Pakistan earthquake video!
"a video that was made by hamza mehmood! it decribes the affected area of pakistan due to the devestating earthquake in 2005."
Aftershocks jolt Pakistan, creating panic
Trapped woman dies overnight as hope fades of finding more survivors,
Updated: 10:29 a.m. ET Oct. 13, 2005(MSNBC)
Thursday's 5.6-magnitude aftershock was centered 85 miles north of Islamabad, near the epicenter of Saturday's 7.6-magnitude quake that demolished whole towns, mostly in the Himalayan region of Kashmir. The latest quake shook buildings, but there was no significant damage in an already demolished region.
"There was a lot of panic. People were scared. Even those who were sleeping in tents came out. Everybody was crying," said Nisar Abbasi, 36, an accountant camping on the lawn of his destroyed home in Muzaffarabad, a badly hit city in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
There have been dozens of aftershocks since the main quake, including a 6.2-magnitude temblor.
Christian Groups Scramble Aid Operations in Wake of Pakistan Earthquake
Christian Aid, Tearfund and Relief Services are just some of the Christian organisations working to help victims of Pakistan's earthquake, which has killed more than 20,000.
Posted: Monday, October 10 , 2005, 16:14 (UK)
DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE KILLS MORE THAN 20,000 IN PAKISTAN AND LEAVES MILLIONS HOMELESS
By Jeremy Reynalds
Special Correspondent for ASSIST News Service
(Monday, Oct 10th of 2005)
PAKISTAN (ANS) -- A devastating earthquake in Pakistan has killed thousands and left millions homeless..
Strong 7.6-Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Southern Asia. Hundreds Killed in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: October 8, 2005. (By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA, AP) Pakistan Christian Post
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Muslims, Islam, Koran, etc...
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Added On November 18, 2010
A Pakistani court sentences a Christian woman to death on blasphemy charges. CNN's Reza Sayah reports."
Sentenced to Death for Blasphemy
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Added On November 19, 2010
CNN's Reza Sayah interviews the chief prosecutor of Punjab Province about the blasphemy death sentence in Pakistan."
" ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Gul Bibi and her three children fled the Taliban's bloody interpretation of Islamic law in Pakistan's Swat Valley, hoping one day to return.
A pro-Taliban delegation attends a meeting with government officials in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Monday.
But now that the Pakistani government has recognized Taliban rule in the region in exchange for a temporary cease-fire, she said those hopes have been dashed.
She warned that the government's deal with the Taliban will have worldwide implications.
"The whole point is, if it's not contained to Swat, it's going to spill all over in Pakistan and the West also doesn't realize the seriousness of the situation," Bibi said. "Probably your next 9/11 is going to be from Swat." Video Watch Gul Bibi talk about Taliban threat »
The chief minister of North West Frontier Province announced on Monday that the Pakistani government will recognize the Taliban's interpretation of strict Islamic law, or sharia. The Taliban's interpretation of sharia has included banning girls from school, forcing women inside and outlawing forms of entertainment.
This form of Islamic law is already in effect in parts of North West Frontier Province where the Taliban have control -- including Swat, which is located about 100 miles northwest of Islamabad.
Provincial minister Amir Haider Hoti said the people of the region want sharia which fills the "vacuum" left by a lack of access to Pakistan's judicial system. He said he hoped it would bring peace to the region, where Pakistani forces have battled militants aligned with the Taliban.
It is difficult to gauge the concerns of residents in Swat, because the government does not allow journalists into the area due to the ongoing military operation. Also, residents risk their lives if they openly criticize Taliban rule.
Bibi -- who used a false name to protect her identity -- told CNN that people in Swat do not support the Taliban's version of Islamic law. A strict Muslim herself, Bibi said she observes the teachings of the Quran, and the Taliban's interpretation of sharia has nothing to do with the Muslim religion.
"They are killing people, they are beheading people, there is no accounting for what they are doing," Bibi said.
Their oppression is also focused on women. The Taliban have destroyed dozens of girls' schools in the region. Bibi is living in a house in Islamabad with other women who have fled Taliban rule in Swat.
"For God's sake, in the West you must realize this: no education for women," she said. "You are going to destroy an entire generation."
She dismissed the government's peace deal as a concession to the Taliban. But she remains hopeful that she can return to the picturesque Swat Valley with her three children.
"I want peace more than anyone else," Bibi said. "It's my home, it's where I want my children to go back to, it's where I want to live.
"I love Swat. It's because of my love and my passion for Swat that I am speaking.""
"... is the co-founder and Executive Director of nonprofit Central Asia Institute www.ikat.org (1996). Since a 1993 climb on Pakistan’s K2, he has dedicated his life to promote community-based education and literacy programs, especially for girls, in remote mountain regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.."
Night Talk: An Interview With Greg Mortenson (part 1)
"..In addition to Vietnam and Pakistan, he has traveled to, and/or reported from, much of East Asia. ..
Amazon com Three Cups of Tea One Man's Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time
Related Sites:
David Oliver Relin, lyceumagency.com
""We Americans need to learn from our mistakes, from the flailing, ineffective way we, as a nation, conducted the 'war-on-terror' after the attacks of 9/11, and from the way we’ve failed to make our case to the moderate, peace-loving majority of people at the heart of the Muslim World. If we want to heal the wounded relationship between Islam and the West, we have to learn how to wage peace as aggressively as we wage war."
—David Oliver Relin
Books:
#1 New York Times Bestseller
Three Cups of Tea
"
One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
By Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Driving to Greg Mortenson's schools through mountains in Kashmir
"(CNN) -- Greg Mortenson, the high-profile advocate of girls' education in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been forced to defend his best-selling book "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations ... One School at a Time," against charges that key stories in it are false.
Mortenson shot to international fame with the book, which describes his getting lost in an effort to climb K2, the world's second-highest peak, being rescued by Pakistani villagers in the village of Korphe and vowing to return there to build a school for local girls.
He also claims to have been captured by the Taliban and held for several days before being released.
Another best selling-author, however -- Jon Krakauer of "Into Thin Air" fame -- told a CBS "60 Minutes" investigation that aired Sunday that the story is not true.....
Mortenson's record of charity and his tales of derring-do have helped fuel the Central Asia Institute. The organization recorded income of $14 million in 2009, the vast majority of which was raised from private individuals, many of them who were no doubt inspired by Mortenson's books.
However, in 2009, less than half of that money -- 41 percent -- actually went to building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to the institute's board of directors. On its website, the institute said "a significant portion of the remainder" was dedicated to the charity's other programs, such as outreach and education about the need for the schools.
"TOBA TEK SINGH, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Services celebrating 50 years of social services work by Rev. Fr. Bonnie Mendes, a Catholic priest and a well-known Pakistani international peace activist, have been held in Mubarkabad, Pakistan.
Father Bonnie Mendes was ordained as Catholic priest in Karachi on January 7, 1962 and assigned in Karachi to perform priestly services. Later, he was sent to Faisalabad division to serve in Gojra and provide quality education for poor Christians and Muslims.
Father Mendes was appointed the director of the charity Caritas, and under his leadership a number of social welfare projects were launched to enhance Christian-Muslim cooperation for peace and development.
While serving as parish priest at the Catholic Church in Toba Tek Singh, Mendes empowered the Christian community to build a farm-to-market road using volunteer labor.
The road, known as "Fr. Bonnie farm to market Road, Chak 424 J.B to Gojra," has been named after him. His landmark work has attracted the attention of international donors and national civil society who wanted learn from his experiences of community development. He was also appointed executive secretary of the Office of Human Development, established by the Federation of Asian Catholic Bishop's Conference, in Manila, The Philippines. He remained there for more than ten years and completed his Ph.D degree in Human Development.
Rafia Salomi, deputy director of the society for Human Development said Fr. Bonnie was assigned in Jhang district, where he laid the foundation of the Society for Human Development, popularly known as Human Development Center. Fr. Bonnie acquired hundreds of acres land from the government to provide for poor Christian farmers. He also introduced various projects, such as, poultry farms, general stores and other skill-based centers, designed to lift poor Christians economically. He also established a colony for the homeless in Jhang.
In 1990 Fr. Bonnie was transferred to Toba Tek Singh where he started a branch of the Society for Human Development and trained more than one hundred boys and girls to serve the others in villages and city areas. He organized brick kiln, sanitary, and peasant workers to struggle for their rights. He also empowered women, the disabled and those who have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. Further, he provided opportunities for young people to get national and international exposure and organized women for pre- and post- Beijing national conferences to raise Pakistani women's issues in the Global Summit for Women in China.
Rasheed Jalal, District President, PML N for minorities, said Fr. Bonnie “worked day and night” in Toba Tek Singh to promote inter-religious harmony through service delivery programs of micro-finance, food security, peace building, human rights, and youth formation. He built schools in several villages, as well as in Pirmahal and Toba Tek Singh. He provided emergency relief during the floods in Jhang and Kamalia, and also the 2005 earthquake in northern areas, and flooding in 2010.
Father Bonnie is also known to have established SATTH, the Social Attention Towards Handicapped, to rehabilitate the disabled.
Among the many other national and International organizations which have worked with him are Action Aid Pakistan, OXFAM, Homeless International, Church World Service, Catholic Relief Services, Democratic Commission for Human Development, Applied Socio-Economic Research, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Caritas Japan, Germany & Belgium, Water Aid, British Council, South Asia Partnership, and the Aurat Foundation. An International donor also working with him to eradicate poverty, partnered for nine years in a long-term program in Toba Tek Singh.
Shagufta Yaqub, a member of the field staff of the Society for Human Development said:"Fr. Bonnie Mendes is a role model for those who are committed to work for peace, human rights and the empowerment of women. I feel blessed and proud that I am among thousands whom Fr. Bonnie empowered to work for our rights. I have been envisioned by him to organize peasant women workers not only in Toba Tek Singh, but other districts as well.”
Sadaf Sadaque, who worked with Mendes as an advocate, said: "I am thankful to God who sent Fr. Bonnie to Toba Tek Singh as an angel who arranged scholarships for people like me. Today, I am advocate for his great help. I am committed to work on his vision.”
Human rights poet Robin Gosh said Fr. Bonnie is a symbol of struggle against discriminatory laws in Pakistan. “He is the man who never gave up and spoke at various forums about the complications of these laws. He is among the founding fathers who struggled to restore a joint electorate in the country for national unity.
“Finally, after a struggle of more than thirty years the joint electorate was restored. He initiated a countrywide movement against the addition of religious column in National Identity card. He educated people that the nation should not be segregated on the basis of religion. He has also been a strong voice of India-Pakistan friendship. He organized a peace visit to India right after nuclear tests were organized by the both nations in May 1998.”
Gosh added: “Tension was at high peak when he organized the visit in August 1998 to de-escalate tension between the two countries. Later, dozens of programs were organized between the people of two countries. The peace process is still in progress following the lines of Fr. Bonnie’s example.”
Tariq Mehmood, District General Secretary, Labor Party Pakistan, paid tribute to Fr. Bonnie saying he was “a ray of hope for the weaker groups of society.
“He has been my teacher to struggle for the rights of laborers, and today I have carried on his mission to speak up against the exploitation of workers.”
Social activist Johnson Gill said, "Fr. Bonnie always prays for Muslim brothers and sisters whenever he offered prayers in the Church or villages. He always stressed to remain peaceful and never believe in revenge. He spoke against violence and not to trust in armed struggle."
Pastor Victor Samuel, founder Grace Bible Church, said that Fr. Bonnie “leads a very simple life which impresses people around the globe.
“He eats simply, and lives simply. He used to spend all his resources on the poor. For his great services, he is highly respected among all," he said.
Irum Naz, a women's rights activist, told the gathering that hundreds of Christians and Muslims from Toba Tek Singh will attend a program of golden jubilee celebrations in Faisalabad on Jan 7, 2012. "
"
ABBOTTABAD, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Late night between May 1 and May 2, 2011, there were reports circulating in Pakistan of a low flying American helicopters having “blown up” in the city of Abbottabad, located in the Hazara region of the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
This picture says it all
Three loud blasts were heard near the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul Road late on Sunday night and a military helicopter also crashed. Sources told Geo News that heavy firing was heard in the area before the chopper crashed.
Window panes of the nearby buildings and houses were smashed due to the intensity of the blasts, the sources said. Eyewitnesses said first sound of heavy firing was heard and then there was a huge blast. Fire erupted at the scene of the occurrence and police and fire brigade teams rushed towards the blast scene. Security forces cordoned off the entire area and military helicopters were also hovering over the area.
The Los Angeles Times reported that after landing by helicopter at the Pakistani compound housing Osama bin Laden on Sunday, the U.S. special operations team tasked with capturing or killing the Al Qaeda leader found itself in an almost continuous gun battle.
For the next 40 minutes, the team cleared the two buildings within the fortified compound in Abbottabad, north of Islamabad, trying to reach bin Laden and his family, who lived on the second and third floors of the largest structure, senior Defense Department and intelligence officials said Monday.
"Throughout most of the 40 minutes, they were engaged in a firefight,” said a senior Pentagon official, who characterized the operation as intense but deliberate.
The LA Times went on to say that bin Laden “resisted” and was killed by U.S. gunfire in the larger building toward the end of the operation. He fired on the assault team, a U.S. official said, and may have tried to use his wife as a shield. The woman also was killed.
After the firefight, the special-operations force quickly gathered papers — valuable intelligence on Al Qaeda, officials said — and other materials in the two buildings and clambered back on helicopters, taking bin Laden's corpse with them.
Before departing, the U.S. team blew up one of the helicopters, a Blackhawk, which had experienced mechanical problems, officials said.
"No detainees were taken, and the women and children who survived the attack were left at the compound, Pentagon officials said,” according to the LA Times.
Part of the compound where bin Laden was hiding
"This wasn't an execution,” one U.S. official later said. “The assessment going into it was that it's highly unlikely that's he's going to be taken alive, but if he decided to lay down his arms, he would have been taken captive.”
Bin Laden's body was taken to the USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft carrier, in the northern part of the Arabian Sea and buried at sea Monday at around 1 a.m. EDT.
According to the American media, the operation was completed in 40 minutes, and the compound was rented by two Afghan nationals. The Pakistani intelligence played a vital role in the operation, and the compound had been monitored for the past few months.
Surprisingly, when much of the rest of the world was celebrating the news of the killing of Osama bin Laden, the Pakistani Government was quiet for some time, and no military official issued any reaction or statement on the incident even though the operation was carried out on the Pakistani soil.
Pakistani defense analysts expected a huge backlash in the country over the incident.
Moderates soon began celebrating the news including some students at a local university in Islamabad. There were also celebrations from moderates in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
Abbottabad, however, is different. The city is deserted, with only the Army officials on the streets.
Some of the local media is showing a biased reaction to the news of the killing and appear to be glorifying Osama Bin Laden.
Marvi Memon, a member of the National Assembly, criticized the Pakistani government, said, “Where is our President? Where is our Prime Minister? Where is our sovereignty? Why was an operation authorized on our soil without taking the parliament into confidence? President Obama is the President of America, not Pakistan. Where is our President? Why didn’t he address the nation? Our men, women and children have been killed in the so-called war against terror.”
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said that elimination of Osama bin Laden, a foreigner, who had declared war against Pakistan, has been responsible for killing over 30,000 Pakistanis and martyrdom of over 5,000 security forces personnel is a great victory of alliance against terrorism.
The Prime Minister was talking to his UK counterpart David Cameron, who telephoned him on Monday evening to express solidarity with Pakistan. Gilani while reiterating his government’s resolute commitment to take war against terrorism to its logical conclusion stated that Pakistan will continue to play its constructive role for regional stability.
According to AFP, the Pakistani Prime Minister said in an interview on Monday that the U.S. killing of Osama bin Laden, not far from the Pakistani capital, was a “great victory”.
"We will not allow our soil to be used against any other country for terrorism and therefore I think it's a great victory, it's a success and I congratulate the success of this operation,” he said.
Asked about the extent to which Pakistan cooperated in the operation he said: “I don't know the details, I don't know minute details, but in short we have intelligence cooperation.”
He also, in a meeting with the cabinet, military officials and intelligence agencies, termed the killing of Bin laden as a “victory in the war against terror."
The Prime Minister also stated that the Government will be issuing a “balanced statement to avoid a backlash.”
Extremists are not at all happy with the news. The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Taliban, have said that this is all a “false operation,” and that they still believe that Osama is "alive."
The Afghan Taliban has also refused to believe the reports.
Retired Brig. and Ex Chief ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), Hameed Gul, said, “The statements by the Americans don’t seem [to be] a reality. In the visuals of Osama, he seems much younger and they claim that no American was killed in the helicopter crash. I doubt all of this. Obama is a smart person. This is a great start to his election campaign. The time is tough for Pakistan right now.”
Some analysts think that Al-Qaida Network in both Pakistan and Afghanistan will become “weak” because of the killing, but others think that they will respond more aggressively.
There are reports that the Americans and other allies are having a meeting regarding closing down their Embassies in Pakistan for some time to avoid any serious problems.
The Pakistani nation is still awaiting an official statement from the Prime Minister and the President and all of the Political parties are reluctant to comment on the matter.
Many Christian institutions have closed their offices and several schools across Pakistan have been shut down to avoid any reaction.
Muslim Americans listen to a speaker at the “Today, I am Muslim Too” rally in New York City
Meanwhile in the United States, the killing of bin Laden by U.S. military commandos storming a heavily fortified compound in Pakistan was widely welcomed by many Muslims.
"Today we greet the news of the death of Osama bin Laden with immense relief," said Haris Tarin, the head of the Muslim Public Affairs Council Washington office, who says he was awake all night after the killing, communicating with Muslims, especially the younger generation.
"And I think the resounding message that I have gotten from many young people across the country, from emails, Facebook, telephone calls, Twitter - we see that the American-Muslim community had rejected Osama bin Laden," said Tarin. "From them this is a chapter that they want closed."
Although American Muslim organizations worked with law enforcement agencies and other faith groups, it is believed that some of the young still embraced bin Laden's extremist message.
"
"WASHINGTON -- White House Press Secretary Jay Carney spent Tuesday correcting misstatements by administration officials on Osama bin Laden’s final moments before he was gunned down Sunday.
"We provided a great deal of information with great haste in order to inform you … about the operation,” Carney said during a briefing, in a concession that administration officials have erred in their details of the raid on bin Laden's compound outside of Islamabad, Pakistan. “Obviously some of the information came in piece by piece and is being reviewed and updated and elaborated on.”
Reading from a script carefully crafted by the Defense Department, Carney clarified that bin Laden was not armed with a gun when he was killed, contrary to some reports that he fired back at U.S. military operatives. In addition, White House counterinsurgency adviser John Brennan was wrong when he suggested Monday that one of bin Laden’s wives was killed serving as a human shield for bin Laden during gunfire.
"In the room with bin Laden, a woman -- bin Laden’s wife -- rushed the U.S. assaulter and was shot in the leg but not killed. Bin Laden was then shot and killed. He was not armed,” Carney said. Separately, another woman on the first floor was killed in crossfire, which may have led to Brennan's misstatement.
The White House spokesman wouldn’t say whether bin Laden had any kind of weapon when he was killed or what kind of resistance he put up. Carney said only, "There was concern that bin Laden would oppose the capture operation and indeed he resisted.”
Carney also retraced the steps by which bin Laden’s body was buried in the North Arabian Sea. The body was washed, placed in a white sheet and in a weighted bag, at which point a military officer “read prepared religious remarks” that were translated into Arabic by a native speaker. The body was then "placed on a prepared flat board, tipped up, and the deceased body eased into the sea,” he said.
The White House is still mulling whether to release a picture of bin Laden killed. While releasing such a photo would confirm once and for all to naysayers that bin Laden is dead, "It's fair to say it's a gruesome photograph," Carney said."
"Added On May 3, 2011
CNN's Brian Todd reports on the other families that resided inside Osama bin Laden's compound."
"..Since the vision delivered by Lord Jesus Christ , he has got great achievements in the field of Gospel and the Unrealism. He has vision to get each soul may change and must won for the arrival of lord our savior Jesus. He has at least house Church planting projects and the pastor training camp again. Ministry has Pentecost all way of teaching. We believe in trinity strongly in Jehovah living God, his son our savior Jesus Christ and the teacher and our great strength Holy Spirit. ..
*received an e-mail May of 09'
Pakistan Gospel Fellowship
"The Ministry of
PAKISTAN GOSPEL FELLOWSHIP "
"The name Pakistan is derived from the Urdu words Pak (meaning pure) and stan (meaning country). It is nearly twice the size of California..."
"Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world and has the second largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia. It was part of British India prior to partition in 1947 and has a long history of settlement and civilisation including the Indus Valley Civilization. The region has been invaded by the Greeks, Persians, Arabs, Afghans, Turks, and Mongols. The territory was incorporated into British India in the nineteenth century. Since its independence, the country has been characterized by periods of military and economic growth interspersed with political instability."
"Documentary about Pakistan , Travel , Culture , History , Education"
*see Bible
"..We had climbed for a couple of miles and were at 10,000 feet. Both Denise and I had headaches and felt light headed. After a while the tea came, we sat on mats on the dusty floor sipping it when a man arrived with a sick child, thinking we were doctors. We apologized and said, with Syed interpreting that we were sorry but we had no medicines and were not doctors. Denise and I sat talking about how in the U.S. and the 'West' it seemed that the 'faith healers' only go to huge arenas, big churches or television, where there is money. Why don't they stop by the hospitals on the way to the 'crusade' and empty it. Why don't they go to the poor people, poor villages around the world and help those with no hope of seeing a doctor. ...
After talking a little while I felt the Lord say, "Pray for the child." I got up, walked over and knelt down beside the child and whispered a prayer to Jesus asking for His mercy in healing this poor sick child. Just as I finished a tall thin man entered with some friends. He was desperately ill with what appeared to be a severe heart attack. Again I explained I was not a doctor but went to pray for him.
Denise said Syed appeared shocked at what I was doing. The man was breathing fast, panting, heart racing, he was pale, weak and with severe pain in his chest. I had my left hand in front of his chest and my right hand behind his back. I felt heat rush out from his back going out. He began to breath normally, looked around and moved as if to exercise. He said he felt fine - no pain - he was healed. ...
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Movies: The Passion, Crucification, Easter, Resurrection, etc..
*this church was referred to me through my local church in St. Paul for a friend of mine from Bulgaria
Gospel Singer Shizy From Pakistan Now Living In London
"MASIHI GHAZAL "
-Worship
Hindi Christian Song - ACA Hindi Worship team
"Hindi Christian Song
Anil Kant's song"
Flood Catastrophe Continues leaving thousands dead and at least 2.5 million homeless
"PAKISTAN (ANS) -- Massive rains and subsequent flooding in Pakistan has claimed the lives of thousands of people and left 15 millions homeless across the country.
According to Faisal Anwer, Chairman of Faith Christian Fellowship Pakistan (FCF), thousands of villages have been submerged into rivers and millions of houses, roads, bridges, as well as standing crops and livestock, have been swept away.
He said that all of the five provinces of the country have been badly affected and the National Pakistan Disaster Management Authority and Meteorological Department have declared it, "the worst disaster in the history of Pakistan and bigger than the 2005 earthquake."
The chief ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab provinces have declared the affected districts, as "calamity hit areas."
The government of Pakistan has appealed the international community, NGOs and charity groups to help Pakistan to support the relief and rehabilitation work.
The Pakistan Army and various groups have been deployed to help the government to search out and help stranded people to get to dry places.
"However millions are still trapped and an acute shortage of drinking water, food has been reported. Diseases have been broken out in the affected areas and desperate people are waiting for help under the open sky,” Anwer told the ASSIST News Service. “To make matters worse, more rains and flooding has been forecast.
"Pakistani Christian ministries, churches and nonprofit organizations are planning to support the affected people with relief work and by organizing prayer services for the flood-hit people."
FCF told ANS that it has learned that the United States government has pledged US$10 million in aid, while China, the UK, Australia and other countries, have also announced relief aid. The US had pledged to distribute over 62,000 meals via a US airlift.
"Christian women, youth and children have fervently requested FCF to convey their appeals to the international Christian brothers and sisters to support suffering those Pakistan,” Anwer said.
FCF sources have discovered that among that amongst the 2.5 million people affected by the floods, there are about 30,000 are Christians who are still waiting for emergency relief.
For more information, go to: http://fcfpk.yolasite.com
A story written by journalist Dibin Samuel, says that a Pakistani bishop has warned that Christians in Pakistan are "missing out on flood aid."
Samuel said that the Right Reverend Humphrey Sarfraz Peters, Bishop of Peshawar in Pakistan, has warned that Christians there will receive “hardly anything” from the aid packages being distributed among victims of the country’s worst flooding in 80 years.
He stated that the warning from the Bishop “came one day after the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an alliance of aid agencies including World Vision and Christian Aid, launched a major appeal for donations to help victims of the floods.”
At least 1,600 people have died in the floods, while millions more are in need of aid. Bishop Peters said many Christians had lost everything.
"Our Christians, who are already deprived and marginalized, are in pathetic conditions. They have lost almost everything in their houses; they could only save their lives,” the Bishop was quoted as saying.
"Soon after the emergency phase that might last for a couple of months, the most important will be the rehabilitation.
“We are sure that some countries will come forward with aid packages, but hardly anything will reach the minority Christians. Do keep us in your special prayers.”
Christians make up less than 3 per cent of the population in majority-Muslim Pakistan and are often excluded from anything more than menial employment, meaning that the majority of them live in extreme poverty.
Survivors of Pakistan floods face growing health problems
By the CNN Wire Staff
August 23, 2010 5:04 a.m. EDT cnn.com
Pakistan floods rescue hampered
"...Another 30,000 people were stuck on their rooftops and in higher areas as they tried to escape rushing floodwaters, a United Nations official said Sunday.
"We've got the government sending boats and helicopters to try to reach people and bring them to safety at the same time as trying to deliver emergency relief," said Nicki Bennett, a senior humanitarian affairs officer for the U.N. ..
The United States will assist in relief efforts by bringing in 50,000 meals, rescue boats and helicopters, 12 pre-fabricated steel bridges and water filtration units, the embassy in Islamabad said.
According to Geo TV, 150 people are missing in a northwestern province, and 3,700 homes were swept away. Forty-seven bridges in Swat have been destroyed or damaged....
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Greg "Boomer" Roberts, adviser to the Afghan Air Force, told CNN Sunday morning that the Afghan air force rescued about 2,000 villagers who were stranded. Roberts accompanied the air force during their rescue mission in the Kunar province -- a known insurgent stronghold.
"They knew they could accomplish their mission. When we came into the area and the Taliban made their presence known, they continued ... and picked up 2,000 people who were definitely overcome by the floods. And they did it right there in full view of the Taliban.
"There's not a doubt in my mind that some of the folks we picked up are Taliban," he said, adding that most were probably looking for employment with the organization.
He said the rescue mission is the type of move that could sway people away from the Taliban and toward the Afghan government
HUMANITARIAN AID:
"..Food for the Hungry's Emergency response unit is still assessing the needs. However, their teams are readying themselves. "It's getting clean water, hygiene kits, and basic shelter materials like tarps, and tents, and even things like mosquito nets to keep malaria at bay. We have not yet begun our response. We're finding out how best we can support the efforts." In turn, Food for the Hungry also will be supporting the Gospel.
"If Food For the Hungry can come alongside local churches and local Christian organizations and support them, then those organizations not only will provide the immediate needs in the name of Christ, but they can be there in the long-term."
Pray for flood survivors, especially the thousands who are displaced from their homes and vulnerable to disease. You can help their Emergency Response unit as they reach out to help Pakistani families in need. Click here. ..
"A look at the horrors of the Brickyards in Pakistan, filmed by Christian Freedom International. Visit www.christianfreedom.org for more info."
PAKISTAN - AN ARM AMPUTATED FOR SELLING CHRISTIAN LITERATURE
My Christian blood - Pakistan 2006
"The 15-year old son and 14-year old daughter of an underground missionary couple in northern Pakistan were brutally murdered and their dead bodies were burnt by the terrorists a northern districts of Pakistan in September 2006. The boy, Shalom, and his sister, Sharon, were high school students. Police and military forces are supportive to the militants, who also demolished a church and set some houses on fire. Shalom and Sharon were kidnapped along with their missionary parents and two other younger sisters 10 days before the murder. The militants ordered them to convert to Islam and join them in working against Christians. When they refused, the militants first killed Shalom. Then they raped the girl and cut one of her breasts. She bled to death. The murderers left the dead bodies in a ditch, poured petrol over them, and set them alight. The police issued a false statement saying that it was an accident and the petrol tank of the motorcycle opened while they were fallen into the ditch and a spark caused Shalom and Sharon to catch on fire and burn to death. Believers in this area are greatly distressed and fearful. The militants have forbidden them to pray or not even to speak a single word about Christ or Christianity"
Persecuted Church in Pakistan
"This story discuses the persecution that the church faces in Pakistan."
-Forced Conversion
Pakastani Christians Told To Convert or Die
"This news story tells about how Militant Islams threaten Pakastani Christians to convert or die"
"..Prosecutors say Bibi, a 45-year-old field worker, insulted the Prophet Mohammed after she got into a heated argument with Muslim co-workers who refused to drink from a bucket of water she had touched.
In a brief news conference at the prison where she's being held, Bibi said Saturday that the allegations against her are lies fabricated by a group of women who don't like her.
"We had some differences and this was their way of taking revenge," she said.
Bibi's death sentence sparked outrage among human rights groups, who condemned Pakistan's blasphemy law as a source of violence and persecution against religious minorities...
"MCLEAN, VA. (ANS) -- A leading figure in the Christian community has been shot dead in Pakistan, having previously received death threats.
According to a news release from the Barnabas Fund, Jameel Sawan, a preacher, evangelist and champion of minority rights, was gunned down in Karachi on Nov. 16.
He was a city businessman, but spent a lot of his time pastoring Christians and sharing the Gospel with Muslims.
The Barnabas Fund said Sawan had also been a close aide to Saleem Khursheed Khokhar, who is chairman of the Standing Committee on Minorities Affairs in the Sindh Assembly and president of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance in Sindh.
Both men had received death threats from Muslim extremists because of their involvement in campaigning for minority rights and support for policies initiated by the assassinated Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti.
The Barnabas Fund said Khokhar initiated a two-minute silence at the Sindh Assembly for Sawan, as well as three Hindu doctors who were killed in Shikarpur a few days earlier. He also appealed for protection and financial assistance for Sawan’s family.
Sawan leaves a wife, two sons and three daughters. His family believes that he was targeted by a radical Muslim group.
Barnabas Fund provides hope and assistance for the persecuted church. For more information go to www.barnabasfund.org/US/About-us/Who-we-are
"
" Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in an election-rally attack in Rawalpindi, threatening the stability of a nuclear-armed nation that is a focal point of the West's war on terror.
Benazir Bhutto (Reuters)
Bloomberg News reported that police said at least 16 people died and more than 60 were injured in the gunfire-and-bomb attack on Bhutto's rally. The opposition leader, 54, had survived a previous attempt on her life when she returned from exile two months ago.
Bloomberg said that rioting broke out as her supporters gathered outside the hospital where her death was confirmed and in cities across Pakistan. President Pervez Musharraf, who had allowed her return to participate in parliamentary elections planned for Jan. 8, appealed for calm in a message broadcast on state television.
"I don't think elections will be possible now,' Hassan Abbas, a Pakistani political analyst at Harvard University, told Bloomberg.
The Pakistan Christian Post reported that Christians in Pakistan condemned the killing, and said that Nazir S. Bhatti, President of Pakistan Christian Congress, has declared Dec. 27 2007, as a "Black Day" in the history of Pakistan. He called Bhutto the voice of democracy and the poor.
The Post said Bhatti called the "death of (Bhatti) a grave challenge to the government on the safety and security of the people of Pakistan, and a total failure of the establishment. It was the responsibility of the government to secure the life of Benazir Bhutto, but it seems that security measures were neglected and (this) sad incident happened."
Bhatti said, �Pakistani Christians extend (their) grief on the death of Benazir Bhutto, and demand (justice) and the immediate arrest of the culprits.�
Bloomberg said that the death of the nation's most popular politician also deepens a vacuum within its civilian leadership to the benefit of the two other communities that strive to rule Pakistan: the military and Islamic militant movements.
�`Long-term, it raises very, very serious questions about the stability of Pakistan,�' Farzana Shaikh, Pakistan analyst at the London-based Chatham House foreign policy institute, told Bloomberg in a phone interview from Montpellier, France.
Mourning Period
Musharraf announced three days of mourning in the country.
�We will fly the Pakistan flag at half-mast in her honor,�' Bloomberg reported Musharraf said. �Terrorists are the greatest threat to Pakistan and we won't rest till we defeat terrorism.�'
Bloomberg said that Musharraf convened an emergency meeting with top officials to discuss their response to the assassination, according to state-run Associated Press of Pakistan.
It wasn't immediately clear whether Bhutto, the first female leader of an Islamic nation, died in the blast or was shot by the bomber before he blew himself up, Bloomberg News reported Bhutto spokesman Farhatullah Babar told state-run television. Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Cheema said earlier in a phone interview that she was killed in the bombing.
Bloomberg reported that in Rawalpindi, where the army has its headquarters, shops were torched and Bhutto's backers clashed with police. Bhutto supporters poured into the streets across Sindh, the southern province that was her home, burning tires and setting fire to shops in Tando Allah Yar, Khairpur and Larkana, where she lived.
``It was Benazir Bhutto that posed the main threat to pro- Musharraf parties,'' Chatham House's Shaikh told Bloomberg.
Worldwide Condemnation
World leaders condemned the killing, and the United Nations Security Council scheduled a meeting later today to discuss the assassination. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked Pakistanis to "work together for peace and national unity.''
Bloomberg reported that President George W. Bush said from his ranch in Crawford, Texas, �We stand with the people of Pakistan in their struggle against the forces of terror.� The U.S. had backed a partnership between Bhutto and Musharraf.
``The manner of her going is a reminder of the common dangers that our region faces from cowardly acts of terrorism and of the need to eradicate this dangerous threat,'' Bloomberg reported that Manmohan Singh, prime minister of neighboring India, said in an e-mailed statement. �Mrs. Bhutto was no ordinary political leader, but one who left a deep imprint on her time and age.�
The New York Times has posted an obituary for Bhutto at www.nytimes.com/2007/12/28/world/asia/28bhuttocnd.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin and an op-ed she wrote last month at www.nytimes.com/2007/11/07/opinion/07bhutto.html "
"According to a Sept. 2007 article in the Christian Post, Khalil Tahir, a well-known Christian lawyer and chairman of the free legal aid organization �Adal Trust,� said that Christians in the country are routinely abused and tortured.
�Although we try to aid the victim's families, offering legal and practical help, the government must ... stop the issue (arising),� the Christian Post reported he said.
Muslims make up about 97 percent of Pakistan�s people, while Hindus make up 1.5 percent, and Christians 1.7 percent.
According to the U.S.- based International Christian Concern, Christian girls are frequently kidnaped, raped, molested, converted, and in some cases killed by Muslims (www.christianpost.com/article/20070903/29149_Pakistani_Christian_Girls_Kidnapped,_Converted_and_Forcibly_Married.htm). "
Al Qaeda, Taliban
" Uploaded on Jan 13, 2010
See the original video, by Ayesha Akram, here http://www.vjmovement.com/truth/533
"
"LAHORE, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- People from various sections of Pakistani life, including many from the Christian community, paid tribute to Group Captain (Retired) Cecil Chaudhry, one of the Pakistani national heroes of 1965 and 1971 wars against India, at his funeral at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore, on Sunday, April 15, 2012.
A recent picture
of Cecil Chaudhry
Chaudhry, 71, a veteran fighter pilot of Pakistan Air Force, died at the age of 71, on Friday, April 13, 2012, at the Combined Military Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, after suffering from lung cancer.
At the funeral, and on behalf of the ASSIST News Service-Pakistan, I spoke with Christian activists who had attended the service and they each applauded the role of Mr. Chaudhry as fighter pilot and an icon of minority rights.
Rafia Salomi, a women rights activist said, “Cecil Chaudhry was the Chairman of Society for Human Development and he tasked the workers to strive to build strong Pakistan empowering the weaker sections of society including labor, religious minorities, children and women. He made several nationwide visits to educate Pakistanis to struggle for equal rights for minorities.
“He trained youths like Clement Shahbaz Bhatti, the former Minister for Minorities Affairs [who was murdered on March 2, 2011] to dedicate their lives to uplift our Pakistan minorities.”
Rafia Salomi
She went on to say, “As the head of the Christian Organizations for Social Action in Pakistan (COSAP), he struggled to restore joint electorate system in Pakistan that enabled minorities to be a part of mainstream politics of the country. His contribution to democracy will remember forever. He addressed various international forums to represent Pakistan and he highlighted the role of minorities in our country’s development.”
Atif Jamil Pagaan, Executive Director the Harmony Foundation, said, “Cecil Chaudhry was a role model for Christian youth. As a great pilot fighter he destroyed India’s hunter planes and was awarded with the Sitar-e-Jurat and Tamga Jurat awards from the President of Pakistan in recognition of his services to the nation. Later, he supported India-Pakistan peace process and was a well-known educationist.
“He was one of the founding fathers of Punjab Education Foundation, a government-run education department that introduced educational development programs in the province of Punjab. He also inspired hundreds of youth to join hands to educate younger generation with the values of love, peace and hard work. He was a great politician as well.”
Fr. Bonnie Mendes
Fr. Bonnie Mendes, one of the founding fathers of the Christian rights movement in Pakistan had been a close associate of Mr. Cecil Chaudhry and worked with him under the umbrella of Society for Human Development, as well as the National Commission for Justice and Peace, both important Christian Organizations for social action in Pakistan and other countries.”
Cecil Chaudhry and Fr. Mendes initiated various movements against discriminatory laws affecting religious minorities, restoration of joint electorate and for adding a religious column in national identity card.
Fr. Mendes spoke to ANS-Pakistan and said, “The loss of Mr. Cecil Chaudhry is great. Last year, the icon of minorities rights Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti, was assassinated and now another strong voice is no more. However, his vision and great examples of service and empowering weaker sections of the society will continue to be followed by others.”
Johnson Gill, a Christian youth leader, stated, “The death of Cecil Chaudhry is a national loss, but our youth will follow in his footsteps to promote peace, love and harmony in the country.”
Mian Shahbaz Shari, Chief Minister of Punjab, presenting flowers on the occasion of funeral
Mian Shahbaz Sharif, the Chief Minister of Punjab, paid a special tribute to Chaudhry at the funeral, saying “Group Captain (Retired) Cecil Chaudhry was a legendary fighter pilot of Pakistan Air Force, and the services rendered by this legend were beyond the call of normal duty. His aerial battles during the 1965 and 1971 wars with India will be remembered for all times to come.”
Later, on behalf of ANS-Pakistan, I held a meeting in Lahore with Ms. Michelle Chaudhry, the daughter of Mr. Chaudhry and Executive Director of the Iris Foundation, to give our condolences to the family.
Ms. Michelle said, “The Iris Foundation was initiated in memory of my late mother, Mrs. Iris Chaudhry, to empower and help women and children, The Iris Foundation has provided food and other relief aids to Hindus, flood-affected women in Sindh last year. We are pledged to carry on the mission of my great father [and mother] to support the weaker groups of the society in Pakistan.”
Ashfaq Fateh studied civic and human rights, at Pakistan's leading University, the Aga Khan University in Karachi. He has been working to promote peace, human rights and particularly for Christian's rights. He has also been working against the discriminatory laws prevailing in Pakistan. His wife, Rafia Salomi, is serving as deputy director for Society for Human Development, popularly known as Human Development Center, an icon of Christian's rights in Pakistan since 1984. His e-mail address is: assistpakistan@gmail.com"
K2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"...is the second-highest mountain on Earth after Mount Everest. With a peak elevation of 8,611 metres (28,251 ft), K2 is part of the Karakoram Range, and is located on the border[2] between the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang, China, and Gilgit, in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan..
Recent attempts
The peak has now been climbed by almost all of its ridges. Although the summit of Everest is at a higher altitude, K2 is a much more difficult and dangerous climb,[citation needed] due in part to its more inclement weather and comparatively greater height from base to peak. The mountain is believed by many[who?] to be the world's most difficult and dangerous climb, hence its nickname "the Savage Mountain." It, and the surrounding peaks, have claimed more lives than any others.[29] As of July 2010, only 302 people have completed the ascent,[30] compared with over 2,700 individuals who have ascended the more popular target of Everest. At least 77 people have died attempting the climb. Notably, 13 climbers from several expeditions died in 1986 in the 1986 K2 Disaster, five of these in a severe storm. More recently, on August 1, 2008, a group of climbers went missing after a large piece of ice fell during an avalanche taking out the fixed ropes on part of the route; four climbers were rescued, but 11, including Gerard McDonnell, the first Irish person to reach the summit, were confirmed dead.[31] On 6 August 2010, Fredrik Ericsson, who intended to ski from the summit, joined Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner on the way to the summit of K2. Ericsson fell 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) and was killed. Kaltenbrunner aborted her summit attempt.[32]
Buy the book: 'Disaster on K2' on expeditienet.nl
"Norit K2 expedition 2008. Triumph and tragedy on K2. In memorium of our teammember but especially loved friend and climber Gerard McDonnell. We will never forget you and we will always remenber your famous Irish words (you can read and understand at the end of this emotional film fragment)"
11 Die In K2 Climb Tragedy , from youtube.com
"The last survivor of an ill-fated expedition to the top of K2 was airlifted to safety after staying behind to help save others. Richard Roth reports on what went wrong."
K2 The Savage Mountain , from youtube.com
ALLAH U AKBAR , from youtube.com
Polish Winter Nanga Parbat Expedition , from youtube.com
Healed in Pakistan Crusade
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Faisal - A Pakistani muslim man's journey to Christ
Islamabad Capital of Pakistan
"Beautiful Islamabad Capital of Pakistan"
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