Lawyers seek identities of Pakistani Christians held captive

“We have asked the court to seek the identity of those still being held by the police,” said Tahir Bashir  a  lawyer for Center for Legal Aid and Assistance (CLAAS) Pakistan,  following a court hearing on Wednesday. 

According to CLAAS, a non-profit law firm, which takes up cases of persecuted Christians, more than 100 Christians were rounded up for rioting and the subsequent lynching of two people in the aftermath of deadly attacks last month on Christian church in Lahore. 

While most were sent to jail, some have been illegally held without being brought before the courts, CLAAS national director Joseph Francis says.  “In response to our petition about the 29 Christians, police have told the court that 15 have been sent to jail, 14 have been released,” Tahir Bashir a CLAAS lawyer told ucanews.  “Of the 14 released, one has gone to Thailand and three are missing,” Bashir said.

“We have asked the court to seek the identity of those still being held by the police,” he added. CLAAS also voiced concern over the fate of the three Christians listed as missing.

Francis said he would file a separate plea calling for an investigation into the whereabouts of the three missing Christians on April the date of the next court hearing. (UCAN)