{"id":50916,"date":"2024-08-13T14:00:35","date_gmt":"2024-08-13T05:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=50916"},"modified":"2024-09-12T16:03:07","modified_gmt":"2024-09-12T07:03:07","slug":"vomk-report-313","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2024\/08\/13\/vomk-report-313\/","title":{"rendered":"PAKISTAN: WIFE OF ELDERLY CHRISTIAN SHOEMAKER MURDERED BY MOB DIES OF GRIEF"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”50915″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”Alla Rakhi, the widow of an elderly Pakistani Christian shoemaker who was murdered in May by a mob on accusations of blasphemy, died of a heart attack less than a month after her husband\u2019s death. Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley calls the death tragic and says it highlights the \u201cchain reaction\u201d of persecution and the need to care for families of martyrs and the communities they leave behind.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The news follows a previous report by Voice of the Martyrs Korea and other Christian aid groups that on May 25, up to 2,000 <\/span>people <\/span>gathered in the city of Sargodha in Punjab Province in response to an accusation broadcast over mosque loudspeakers that Nazeer Masih Gil, a <\/span>72-year-old<\/span> Christian shoe factory owner, had burned a copy of the Quran.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to reports from our partner Release International, Naz<\/span>ee<\/span>r\u2019s son tried to reason with the mob, apologizing if his father had mistakenly done anything wrong,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201cBut the mob would not listen.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]She says members of the mob filmed themselves kicking and beating the elderly Christian until he was unconscious and then looting his shoe factory and ransacking his house. They allegedly posted these videos on social media.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]\u201cOur partner, Release International, reported to us that the same mob stoned police when they tried to intervene and hurled bricks at the ambulance when it took Nazeer Masih Gil to <\/span>the <\/span>hospital,\u201d says Representative Foley. He died from his injuries nine days later.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that <\/span>72-year-old<\/span> Alla<\/span> Rakhi, <\/span>Nazeer\u2019s widow, was so traumatized that she was unable to speak.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>The couple<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s son, <\/span>Sultan<\/span>, said that from that point on, <\/span>\u2018<\/span>The tears in her eyes never dried<\/span>,<\/span>\u2019\u201d<\/span> says Representative Foley<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”50918″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Reports say that on Friday <\/span><\/span>June 21 the family called for emergency medical aid in response to <\/span><\/span>Alla<\/span> Rakhi<\/span> experiencing <\/span>chest pains<\/span>. T<\/span>h<\/span>e emergency team gave her medicine but told her that no doctors would be available because of the Islamic weekly holy day, so she remained at home. Family members say she died of a heart attack an hour later.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>In less than a month, as a result of a false accusation of blasphemy likely motivated by jealousy over a Christian<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s business success, this family lost both parents and its shoemaking factory, which was burned to the ground by rioters,<\/span>\u201d<\/span> says Representative Foley. <\/span>\u201c<\/span>This leaves behind two grieving sons, five grieving daughters, and families now without work due to the damage to the business.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says the granting of bail to the murder suspects <\/span>and the limited investigation by the police into the crime <\/span>also <\/span>add to the family<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s burden.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>There was even a rally after Nazeer<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s death in which <\/span>organizers <\/span>showed their support for the killings, demanded that suspects be freed, <\/span>and<\/span> warned <\/span>that <\/span>others <\/span>sh<\/span>ould <\/span>expect <\/span>to die like<\/span> Nazeer for their alleged blasphemy,<\/span>\u201d<\/span> says Representative Foley.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”50912″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Martyred Christian shoemaker Nazeer Masih and his wife, Alla Rakhi. (Family photo)” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230f0f0f|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Th<\/span>e<\/span> claim of blasphemy <\/span>against Nazeer <\/span>is the ninth <\/span>blasphemy claim <\/span>made in <\/span>the city of <\/span>Sargodha <\/span>since 2023<\/span> according to sources<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a \u2018chain reaction\u2019 where one act of persecution <\/span>in a community often <\/span>leads to more acts of persecution<\/span> in that same community<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201c<\/span>All Christians are called to faithfully witness to the Lord Jesus Christ even at the cost of our lives. The Bible tells us that suffering for Christ is an honor. But <\/span>th<\/span>is <\/span>subsequent<\/span> death of <\/span>Alla<\/span> Rakhi <\/span>due to grief is a tragedy. It <\/span>shows<\/span> how <\/span>persecution <\/span>impacts<\/span> not only the one who is persecuted, but their family members and even the whole religious community.<\/span> It highlights the need for Christians globally not only to honor the martyrs but to care for the families and churches they leave behind, and to stand with them and help them make sense biblically of what they are experiencing.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley <\/span>says <\/span>that <\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea <\/span>sent <\/span>10,000,000 KRW <\/span>in aid last month through <\/span>Release International<\/span> to <\/span>support persecuted Christians <\/span>and their families who choose to stay, or who have no choice but to stay, in settings of persecution in <\/span>Pakistan<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Often w<\/span>hen <\/span>Christians <\/span>around the world <\/span>hear <\/span>stories like this one about Nazeer Masih Gil and <\/span>Alla<\/span> Rakhi, <\/span>their first thought is<\/span> to help them escape<\/span> the country to go<\/span> somewhere <\/span>\u2018<\/span>safe<\/span>\u2019<\/span>.<\/span> But <\/span>in case<\/span>s<\/span> like these <\/span>in Pakistan where Christians are falsely accused of blasphemy, helping those Christians flee often <\/span>makes attackers <\/span>more <\/span>bold<\/span> to assault the Christians who <\/span>remain<\/span>. <\/span>It <\/span>can also <\/span>make the Christians look guilty<\/span> and weak<\/span>, and t<\/span>he <\/span>witness to the gospel <\/span>is silenced<\/span> in the very places where such a witness is sorely needed<\/span>.<\/span> Supporting <\/span>persecuted Christians <\/span>to stand firm<\/span> where they are<\/span> helps <\/span>make their communities safer for other believers in the future, and <\/span>it <\/span>helps <\/span>make a positive witness for the gospel.<\/span> But it means we <\/span>have to<\/span> be vigilant to stand with them and to share the stories of their faithful, suffering witness around the world.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Donations to Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s Families of Martyrs and Prisoners (FOM\/FOP) fund can be made at www.vomkorea.com\/en\/donate<\/span><\/a> or via electronic transfer to:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\uad6d\ubbfc\uc740\ud589<\/span> 463501-01-243303<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\uc608\uae08\uc8fc<\/span>: (<\/span>\uc0ac<\/span>)<\/span>\uc21c\uad50\uc790\uc758\uc18c\ub9ac<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Please include the name \u201cFOM\/FOP\u201d on the donation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”50915″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”Alla Rakhi, the widow of an elderly Pakistani Christian shoemaker who was murdered in May by a mob on accusations of blasphemy, died of a heart attack …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":50914,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[235,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-special-column","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50916"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50916\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50932,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50916\/revisions\/50932"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50914"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}