LAHORE, Pakistan — A Christian woman who was charged along with four other people with blasphemy for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ has said she will not relent.
Saba Boota of Islamabad was arrested Sept. 4 for telling Muslims about Jesus in a railway station, report the media outlets Christian Daily International and Morning Star News. Rawalpindi Railways Police arrested her and four members of her evangelistic team — Anita Boota, her sister; Adeel Shamaun; Zubaeyen Samson; and Jonathan Howard, a Briton.
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‘Prepared to pay the price’
They were charged under Section 298 of Pakistan’s blasphemy law (“hurting religious sentiments”), Section 120 of the Railways Act (“committing nuisance on a railway”) and Section 34 of the penal code (“criminal act done by several persons with a common intention”). They were granted bail Sept. 5.
The five were charged at the behest of the Islamist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, which objected to the team’s efforts to tell Muslims about Jesus Christ, the news services state.
Saba Boota, a Pentecostal, told the news outlets, “I am working for the Lord, and I’m prepared to pay the price for this service.”
Pakistan is No. 7 on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian.
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