A young Catholic man is in critical condition after he was attacked, beaten and left for dead by Muslims in his village on April 23. According to sources for AsiaNews, Shahbaz Masih (24) was seized by seven or eight young Muslim men who dragged him into a field and beat him; breaking both his legs and leaving him there. They then called his parents and informed them that he was dead. His parents found him and took him to the local hospital where he is being treated.
According to Father Rehmat Hakim, the parish priest for the Mandi Bahauddin district, 175 kilometers south of Islamabad, most of the 20-25 Christian families in the area work as agricultural workers for Muslim landlords. Shahbaz drove tractor for a Muslim who treated him very well. Other Muslims opposed the good treatment, believing that Christians should be subservient.
Pray for Shahbaz's health and a full recovery. Pray that there will not be more violence against Christians in the area. Pray the example of Shahbaz and his landlord will be a positive example of peaceful coexistence.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, click here.
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