On August 6th, Mohammad Haider claimed that he saw a Christian woman named Sonia Masih putting trash into a bag and then disposing of it. The Muslim man said that when he looked inside the trash bag, it contained ruined pages of the Quran. The next day, Mohammad went to Sonia's home to further investigate the situation, taking two other community members with him. He alleged that Sonia's sister, Saima, had made some inappropriate religious comments to them during the visit, leading the Muslim men to contend that the two Christian sisters committed blasphemy.
Word of the accusations quickly spread throughout the village of Gojra. As a result, an angry mob attacked the Christians that same day, attempting to kill Saima. Other believers in the village were also forced to flee for their safety. The family's lawyer states that Saima would have been lynched if the police had not arrived in time.
Saima denies the accusations and states that, rather than her sister disposing of garbage, Mohammad had asked her for an empty bag which she gave to him. It was this bag, the accuser later claimed, that had contained pages of the Quran. The allegations are believed to derive from a personal vendetta against the women.
Accusations of blasphemy are frequently used in Pakistan to settle personal and business disagreements. Unfortunately, these types of allegations often lead to crimes such as mob violence – and the resulting mass destruction of people's lives, properties and communities. To review previously published reports concerning the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, including those recorded on camera, go to our country profile.
Pray that the truth of these women's innocence will be revealed, and that God would bring about a desire for peace, understanding and tolerance within the hearts of all who oppose them. In the meanwhile, may the Lord grant provision and protection to Sonia and Saima, their family members, as well as the other targeted believers of their community. In the midst of the tensions caused by the false allegations, pray that these followers of Jesus will respond by lovingly extending His compassion, mercy and saving grace to all those around them.
Population
