Despite protests and demands from Christians in Khanewal, Pakistan, there have been no arrests yet in the shooting death of Pastor Mukhtar Barkat Masih on January 5 (read the details). Adding to the concerns of the local Christians, there have been indications that authorities would prefer to cover up the case rather than investigate it. According to a report received on January 9, the Station Head Officer of the Khanewal Railway Police station Malik Mukhtar Awan released a statement on January 7 claiming that Masih had died of cardiac arrest, despite the postmortem report which clearly showed that he had been shot twice in the chest. Police have also indicated the possibilities of personal enmity or internal church rivalries, despite claims from family and church members that Masih had been threatened in the past.
Pray that the truth will come out in this case and that authorities will find the one responsible for this murder. Pray for safety for Christian workers throughout Pakistan.
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