By Andrea Morris — Originally published in CBN News
Islamic extremists issued a bounty for the death of a Pakistani Christian who fled to Thailand following accusations of blasphemy against Islam.
Faraz Pervaiz, a human rights advocate who opposes the persecution of Christians, received death threats after he spoke out against a mob that looted and destroyed nearly 116 homes and two churches in Pakistan’s Lahore city in 2013, according to UCA News.
He sought refuge after radical Muslims found videos and comments about Islam that he and his father shared on social media in 2014. As a result, Pakistan’s Tahreek-e-Labbaik political party released a bounty of $62 000 in 2015, which was increased to $124 000 (nearly R2 million) in 2016.
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And Pakistani government officials filed a blasphemy case against Pervaiz in 2017.
Last year, the father of three secretly moved his family to an area outside Bangkok, Thailand after a video was posted on social media that alluded to his location. The video, created by a Pakistani Muslim refugee, urged “every Muslim in this world” to go to Bangkok and murder Pervaiz.
Posters offering a reward to kill Pervaiz have gone up throughout Karachi in Pakistan. They say that he “challenged both the politics and theology of Islam and criticised the Prophet, Muhammad” when he led protests.
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Harsh Islamic law in places like Pakistan calls for death for those accused of blasphemy against Islam.
According to Open Doors 2020 World Watch List, Pakistan is ranked fifth in a list of countries where Christians suffer the most persecution.
