Pastors Charged with Disturbing Peace; Situation Tense

January 18, 2016

Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Palak Doshia was charged with disturbing the public peace after four people falsely accused the pastor of forcing people to become Christians.

Pastor Palak and the believers were eating lunch after having a New Year’s Day worship service when the four people came and began threatening the pastor. The police intervened and took Pastor Palak to the police station for custody.

Pastor Palak’s district leader, Qutub, and some local authorities went to the police station to talk with the police. The police assured them they would not file a case against Pastor Palak. Later that day, while police were taking statements from the believers, a group of people arrived at the station to pressure the officer into filing a case against Pastor Palak. In order to pacify the crowd, the officer told Pastor Palak’s leader, “Let the pastor be in the police station tonight, and tomorrow morning we will release him.”

The following morning, Jan. 2, another group gathered at the police station demanding a case be filed against Pastor Palak. Under public pressure, the leader of the police station charged Pastor Palak with disturbing the public peace. Some believers and fellow pastors were already at the station, ready to post bail for Pastor Palak.

When a few other pastors from independent churches visited the station on Pastor Palak’s behalf, the crowd accused two of them of forcing people to become Christians. Police ended up charging these two pastors with disturbing the peace also.

By evening, Pastor Palak and the other pastors were released on bail. One official advised them not to minister in the area.

“Now the situation for ministry is very tense,” Qutub said.

Qutub says the local believers remain strong in their faith, and even though Pastor Palak was not able to conduct their Sunday service the following day, “the believers themselves gathered and held prayer in small groups.”

Please pray for Pastor Palak, the other pastors and all their ministries in this area. Pray God will protect them and the believers and give them favor in their communities.

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