Pakistani court postpones trial in 2009 attacks on Christians

Bangalore, India, June 9 (ENInews)--Nearly two years after ten Christians
were killed and nearly 100 houses burned in the Punjabi town of Gojra, a
special court has suspended the trial of suspects in the carnage after a key
witness fled Pakistan.

The Anti-Terrorism Court in Faisalabad also granted bail on 7 June to the
last three of the 66 suspects (others had been already released on bail)
who were arrested in connection with the incident in August 2009.

Accepting the chief public prosecutor's plea that "an eyewitness is at an
unknown place in a foreign country and his attendance in the court is very
important," the special court suspended the trial for a year to allow the
key witness to return.

The attack was prompted by rumors of blasphemy against Islam. Hundreds of
Muslims had been brought in buses and trucks to attack the Christians in
Gojra, according to a report by the Catholic Church. The main complainant in
the arson attack, Phanias Masih, fled Pakistan last year with his family.

Church sources asking for anonymity told ENInews 9 June from Lahore that
key Christian witnesses have been under constant pressure to have the case
withdrawn.

Roman Catholic priest Yaqoob Yousaf, who is presently vicar of Sacred
Heart parish in Gojra, told ENInews that Masih as well as couple of other key
witnesses left before a meeting last February at which community leaders
reached a compromise to ask for a withdrawal of the case.

However, the trial court judge refused to accept the plea to quash the
criminal proceedings, as demanded by the lawyers for the accused.

"This shows our plight. When our people (have to) run away under pressure,
what can we do?" Father Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, National Director of the
Commission for Justice and Peace of the Catholic church, told ENInews. Though
the government has rebuilt houses for most of the dozens of Christian
families rendered homeless by the violence in Gojra, Father Mani pointed out
that "getting justice here is not easy. We are braving even bomb threats."

There are about three million Christians in Pakistan, where 95 percent of
the population of 180 million is Muslim.