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Posted on 10/28/2001 3:25:37 PM PST by grimalkin

ISLAMABAD: The country's intelligence agencies had clearly warned the government, both at the federal and Punjab levels, that minorities, especially Christians, may be attacked to avenge the killings in Afghanistan, but these warnings were not taken seriously.

Sources said instead of calling an inter-provincial meeting on this important issue immediately to discuss these reports with the provincial home departments and subsequently evolve a strategy to address this alarming situation, just a routine directive was sent to the provinces to look into the matter.

A source claimed that it was also significant to note that a politician belonging to Punjab, whose identity could not be confirmed, in a letter to the federal government earlier this month, had also warned about the possibility of attacks on Christians. Reportedly, he had pointed out that after US attacks on Afghanistan and humiliation of Muslims in US and other countries, the Christians who were mainly concentrated in the Punjab province were facing serious threats from religious groups operating in the same province.

He had predicted a possible attack on minorities and asked the government to take precautionary steps to avert any tragedy. But, sources said, in a typical official style, his genuine concern was not given any weight by the concerned government quarters merely on the grounds that the said politician just wanted to score some political points.

Later the federal government also received reports from its own agencies that anger against the Christian community was mounting in the Punjab due to US attacks on Afghanistan. Sources said reports coming from US and other countries that Muslims with beards in particular were being off-loaded from planes and made to suffer at the hands of law enforcement agencies, had played a crucial role in producing hatred against minorities.

In the light of these observations, the agencies had concluded that the violence against the Muslims in Western countries and killings of Afghans could also spark bloody clashes in Pakistan as well, and the government needed to check this before the situation explodes.

Sources said similar reports had also reached from Balochistan province as well. It was reported that the lives of Hindus living in the province were also in danger as they could become a potential victims of violence. The Hindu community was being perceived as enemies of the Muslims because it is siding with the Christian world.

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