RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN -- As a result of concerted efforts by the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan (SLMP) aimed at seeking approval of a church at the premises of Adiala Jail in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi, near Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, the jail authorities have this granted this request.
Adiala Jail
"God has granted us place for a Church at district Jail Adiala, Rawalpindi. On August 27, 2008 the superintendent of District Jail Adiala, Rana Rauf formally allotted the place for church," Sohail Johnson the Chief Coordinator of the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan told ANS.
He described the winning of the authorities' approval for construction of a church at the jail as a "greatest success" of the ministry. Sohail said he was pleased that the prisoners would soon have a place to pray. He regretted that at present only 2 out of 32 prisons in the province of Punjab have churches.
"I thank you all who supported us while we were fighting for construction of a church at the jail premises," Johnson told ANS.
The Christian human rights activist while talking to ANS said he wanted to see prayer rooms in all jails of the province of Punjab.
"We have recently won remission inside jail for Christian prisoners on the basis of completion of Bible study courses," he said.
Prisoners' initiative
The Christian prisoners of Adiala Jail had staged a hunger strike at the jail last year when their prayer facility, a laundry room, was packed with prisoners, most of whom were lawyers, who protested after former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf sacked Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on March 9, 2007.
Robbed of their prayer facility the Christian prisoners of Adiala Jail started hunger strike on March 21. In an apparent move to express its solidarity with the protesting prisoners and to draw the authorities' attention toward the problem, the SLMP staged a protest demonstration in front of the Lahore Press Club on March 22 last year, prompting the authorities to allow prisoners to worship at the jail premises.
Moved by the incident, the Chief of the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan, Sohail Johnson resolved to seek permission from the jail authorities for construction of a Church at the premises of Adiala Jail so that the Christian prisoners could worship the Lord.
The Christian prisoners started constructing the church after receiving a formal directive from the Superintendent of Adiala Jail. The SLMP, Johnson said, provided funds for construction material and the ministry's team, has visited District Jail Adiala to see the construction work, he said.
ANS has learnt that Riaz, a Christian prisoner, has designed the church, which includes a veranda, prayer hall, courtyard and lawn in front of the church, said Sohail Johnson, adding that they plan to transform a small laundry room into a Christian library. He told ANS that most of the construction has been completed with local donations.
Sohail said some 21 Christian prisoners were doing Church construction work. "Christian prisoners are overjoyed after approval of a church. They are constructing the church building with great zeal", said Sohail.
Desperate Need
The walls of the church have been completed, now a roof is needed to be built and Christian prisoners also need 150 bags of cement, and 1600X15 kilogram iron for the construction of roof. It is an urgent need of church, while furniture (6 chairs, pulpit & table etc) and some material for electric work are also required.
Sohail confided in ANS that the Superintendent urged the SLMP visiting team to ensure construction of the church as soon as possible, fearing that a new officer in his place in case of his transfer may not like the idea of church at the jail premises.
He urged the Christians across the world to pray for provision of Pakistani rupees 240,000 (US$2,969.93 USD) which, he said, were needed for church construction. The prospective donors could send financial assistance to the Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan Account no.01-200-2209-8 Allied Bank, Bridge Colony, Cantt branch, Lahore, Pakistan. Swift Code: ABPAPKKAA979
Sheraz Khurram Khan has been reporting from Pakistan for ASSIST News Service on Christian persecution and minorities' situation since 2005. He is also a representative of the International Press Association (IPA), USA.
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