Help for the Wounded and for Families of the Victims of the Terror Attack in Pakistan
Monday, May 1, 2017

Success Story

In March 2015, there was an appalling suicide attack on St. John’s Church in Youhanabad, in which 20 people were killed and a further 80 wounded. Thanks to the generosity of our donors who reached out to help, $21,200 has gone to help the victims of the attack as they continue their recovery from this horrific event. The families are all poor, and many lost their main breadwinner or now have to pay for expensive medical treatment. Your help has enabled the purchase of medicine, food and other essentials and so has eased some of the most immediate practical burdens.

The fact that the toll of victims was not even higher was due above all to the courageous actions of one man, 20-year-old Akash Bashir, who had volunteered for sentry duty outside the church. He spotted the suicide bomber, who was wearing an explosive belt underneath his clothing, before he had the chance to enter the church, and managed to wrestle him to the ground. The attacker detonated his suicide belt, killing himself and young Akash instantly, but without being able to get into the church.

Young Akash undoubtedly saved numerous lives, for there were 600 people inside the church, and his family was also among those we were able to help, thanks to the kindness of our benefactors. His parish priest, Father Francis Gulzar said, “Words cannot describe the sorrow we feel at the loss of this hero and martyr. Thousands of people came to his funeral, to pay their last respects to him and to all who died in this attack.”

Archbishop Sebastian Francis Shaw of Lahore has expressed his gratitude for this aid and paid tribute to our work: “ACN supports us in our difficulties with prayers and good words; it helps the victims who are in need of mercy, it helps us in many ways with works of mercy and it thereby also helps us to help others to be merciful.”

“ACN is not only an aid agency, but a sort of movement that encourages people to be merciful, to trust and to pray.”

Code: 328-01-59

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