Pakistan's Christians fear backlash

"It is like we have been hostage to the changed hostile atmosphere controlled by militants," Mr. Preetum said. Preetum's wife, Muneera, suffered a leg injury during an attack on a Christian charity hospital in Taxila last year and still hasn't recovered.

"I and my colleagues even now have nightmares about that dreadful event when bearded men attacked us. We thought that fear would be over, but now it looks like everything has come afresh ... threats ... attacks," Muneera says.

She says she has received threats from Islamic militants, believed to be associates of those arrested in the hospital attack, where Muneera worked. "Every time there is a hearing of the case, I receive death threats. I am a welfare worker and can put my life in danger. As a staunch Christian, I believe my fate is in the hands of God, but I cannot put my children in danger."

In Christian neighborhoods in Karachi, extremists issue warning. "I was sitting on the road pavement with my friends when armed bearded men came to me and said be prepared for death, if our Muslim brothers are killed by Americans in Iraq," a young Christian said by phone from Karachi. "Everybody is harassed here. My parents do not let me go outside after sunset."

Around 5 million Christians live across Pakistan. Most belonged to the scheduled caste, or untouchables, in the Hindu caste system and were converted to Christianity during British colonial rule before the division of the subcontinent in 1947. Most now live in poor neighborhoods, known as Christian paras.

"They were a target of the Hindu caste system, then the Muslims also look down upon them and treated as untouchables. But whenever there is anger against the Americans, the militants treat them as Christian Americans and target them," says Arif Jamal, a Muslim columnist in Islamabad.

Human rights activists say the minority community is already discriminated against and marginalized, and faces persecution by Islamic militants under the controversial blasphemy law, which prescribes the death penalty to non-Muslims who insult the Koran, the Holy Prophet, or Islam as a religion, with "nonexistent" evidence and proof, activists claim.

"We are very worried and feel insecure in the present situation," says Cecil Chaudhary, a Christian leader in Lahore. "We appeal to Mr. Musharraf to provide security to our community and save us from these militants."

The Christian leaders say the community members have been told not to gather at public places en masse and take extra care in the places where extremists hold anti-American protests.

Officials say strict security measures have been taken to protect foreign interests and Christians living in Pakistan. "There are intelligence reports that Al Qaeda supporters may try to destabilize the situation," a senior police official in Karachi says.

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