Pakistan.

 Our Prayer Alert on September 11 included a request for prayer for Eleazar Sidhu, a pastor in Pakistan who was allegedly shot and wounded by assailants in Jaranwala. It has since come to light that the allegations he made were false and his injury was self-inflicted. The Presbyterian Church of Pakistan recently dismissed Eleazar after he confessed to making the false allegations. In a video published online, he claimed that his actions were motivated by stress and a desire for police protection – in response to the attacks on the Christian community. Whatever the motivation for his actions, we encourage prayer for him and the leadership of the denomination during this difficult time.

Eleazar, who has been charged with making false allegations, will remain in Faisalabad jail on judicial remand until October 14. A conviction under the false allegations charge could result in a prison term of up to seven years and a fine. Release Int.