Charsadda Christians receive threatening letters

Security has been tightened for the Christian community in Charsadda District in Pakistans North west Frontier Province (NWFP) after several Christians complained of receiving threat letters.

Islamabad, May 12 : Security has been tightened for the Christian community in Charsadda District in Pakistan's North west Frontier Province (NWFP) after several Christians complained of receiving threat letters.

Policemen in uniform and plainclothes have been deployed at churches and at the houses of Christians, following the distribution of these letters on Monday, asking the minority community to convert to Islam or leave the area within 10 days.

"We have taken all security measures to protect Christians living in Charsadda," the Daily Times quoted the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Sajjad Ali, as saying over telephone.

He, however, denied that Christians were migrating to other areas due to security fears.

Local Christian leader Chaudhry Saleem backed Ali's statement, saying no Christian had moved out from Charsadda District.

"We are frightened, but no Christian family has moved to any other place," he told the Daily Times.

Prince Javed, president of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) in Charsadda, said the letter had frightened the Christians, but no one had left the district so far.

Saleem said that DSP Sajjad Ali had assured the 600 Christians living in the district that the police would protect them.

"The letter was written in Urdu ... it seems that an immature person has written it, because the writing style and language used is pretty bad. The Taliban are more sophisticated in such activities," DSP Ali said.

APMA Chairman Shahbaz Bhatti, however, said that several Christian families had already migrated to other places and others were contemplating doing the same.

ANI