Church brawls: Fighting for the ballot to bishop
Diocese Church of Pakistan Bishop elections postponed after encounter.
MULTAN:
Police officials were called in to break up a brawl between church personnel in Multan on Friday.
According to a member of the local church, the fight occurred over the mismanagement for the election of the Diocese Church of Pakistan Bishop slot. “An election was being held in spite of a recently taken out restraining order against it,” said Multan’s Saint Mary’s Catholic Church choir member Ashraf Masih.
The church treasurer Herbert Samuel had recently requested an order from a local court to postpone the election because he feared that several people had tried to ‘purchase the position’. “The bishop slot is a sacred office but several people in the community have paid for votes in the upcoming election so I wanted it to be postponed.
I asked for time to investigate the candidates but the election was called regardless of the restraining order,” he said.
In Saint Catholic Mary’s church situated in Multan’s Cantt area, the bishop slot has not been vacant for over 65 years. “Now that the slot finally opened up people kept pushing for the election regardless of whether the candidates are qualified for the post,” Masih said.
Samuel said that he came to church in the morning to discover that balloting for the elections had started despite the restraining order. “A group of tried to put a stop to it but the other protested. It ended up getting out of hand,” Samuel said.
“The treasurer has postponed the election because he has a personal rivalry with one of the leading candidates. He is trying to stall the process because he knows he may be dismissed,” said a member of the opposing group Barbara Asadullah. “We started the balloting without him because we want a new bishop and the post is vacant,” she added.
Police officials were called to the scene after the opposing groups clashed inside the church and several church pews were overturned. “I don’t care who wins or loses in this because it is shameful. People were brawling inside the church and destroying church property. It goes against our religion,” Masih said.
Cantt Police reached the scene and controlled the situation.
The police registered a case but made no arrests on the occasion. “We don’t want to get involved since this is a matter of faith. The election must be legal and we do have a restraining order however the matter is being sent to appeal in the court by the candidates,” Superintendent Police Haroon Sabir said.
Samuel said that all he had wanted was time to conduct a thorough background check on prospective candidates. “This is essential, given the nature of the post,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 5th, 2011.
Police officials were called in to break up a brawl between church personnel in Multan on Friday.
According to a member of the local church, the fight occurred over the mismanagement for the election of the Diocese Church of Pakistan Bishop slot. “An election was being held in spite of a recently taken out restraining order against it,” said Multan’s Saint Mary’s Catholic Church choir member Ashraf Masih.
The church treasurer Herbert Samuel had recently requested an order from a local court to postpone the election because he feared that several people had tried to ‘purchase the position’. “The bishop slot is a sacred office but several people in the community have paid for votes in the upcoming election so I wanted it to be postponed.
I asked for time to investigate the candidates but the election was called regardless of the restraining order,” he said.
In Saint Catholic Mary’s church situated in Multan’s Cantt area, the bishop slot has not been vacant for over 65 years. “Now that the slot finally opened up people kept pushing for the election regardless of whether the candidates are qualified for the post,” Masih said.
Samuel said that he came to church in the morning to discover that balloting for the elections had started despite the restraining order. “A group of tried to put a stop to it but the other protested. It ended up getting out of hand,” Samuel said.
“The treasurer has postponed the election because he has a personal rivalry with one of the leading candidates. He is trying to stall the process because he knows he may be dismissed,” said a member of the opposing group Barbara Asadullah. “We started the balloting without him because we want a new bishop and the post is vacant,” she added.
Police officials were called to the scene after the opposing groups clashed inside the church and several church pews were overturned. “I don’t care who wins or loses in this because it is shameful. People were brawling inside the church and destroying church property. It goes against our religion,” Masih said.
Cantt Police reached the scene and controlled the situation.
The police registered a case but made no arrests on the occasion. “We don’t want to get involved since this is a matter of faith. The election must be legal and we do have a restraining order however the matter is being sent to appeal in the court by the candidates,” Superintendent Police Haroon Sabir said.
Samuel said that all he had wanted was time to conduct a thorough background check on prospective candidates. “This is essential, given the nature of the post,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 5th, 2011.