Tags

Pakistan

• Christian Falsely Accused of Blasphemy Succumbs to Injuries

  

  On May 25th, an angry mob rampaged through a Christian community in Sargodha, Punjab, instigated by false allegations that a 74-year-old Christian man named Nazir Masih had burned pages of the Quran. For more details on the attack, see this report. With deep sorrow, we regret to announce that Nazir succumbed to his injuries just after midnight on June 3rd.

• Allegations Lead to Mob Violence

  

  An angry mob consisting of hundreds of people rampaged through a Christian community in Sargodha, Punjab, on May 25th. Thankfully, police were able to disperse the crowd with tear gas and rescue at least two Christian families whose homes had been surrounded. However, significant damages took place during the mob attack, and 74-year-old Nazir Masih was left with life-threatening injuries. Stirred up by Islamic clerics who accused Nazir of blasphemy, the mob ransacked and burned the Christian man's home and shoemaking business. The crowd also attacked other Christians in the community and threw stones at responding police, injuring at least ten officers.

• Pastor Meets with Imprisoned Zafar Bhatti

  

  Zafar Bhatti has been held in prison for 12 years on allegations of blasphemy. Although initially sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017, the Christian man's punishment was changed to include the death penalty in January 2022. During his time in prison, Zafar has faced various health issues. Diagnosed with diabetes, he suffered two minor heart attacks in 2019 and another in 2020. For previously published reports on Zafar's case, go to this page.

• Murder Victim's Family Members Face Threats

  

  On November 9th, a 20-year-old Christian student named Farhan Ul Qamar was killed in his family's home by a man known for his hatred towards Christians and Jews. The attack is believed to have occurred as a result of religious tensions escalated by the violence in Gaza. For details on Farhan's murder, go to this page.

• New Look at Evidence Against a Long-Imprisoned Christian

  

  In 2002, Anwar Kenneth received a court verdict sentencing him to death, purportedly for defending Christianity in the days following the September 11th attacks on the New York World Trade Centre. He had written a letter in which he defended his Christian faith and, as a part of that, expressed his belief that Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was not a prophet of God.

• College Student Accused of Blasphemy

  

  Ashbeel Ghauri was recently arrested following accusations from a former classmate that he had allegedly disrespected Islam during a WhatsApp conversation. According to Ashbeel's father, Babar, the young Christian man had engaged in conversation several times with Sheraz Gulistan and other Muslims who attempted to convert him to Islam. Babar believes that Sheraz implicated Ashbeel after the young man refused to renounce his faith in Christ.

• Young Girl Forcibly Converted

  

  On the night of February 11th, ten-year-old Laiba Suhail was abducted from her home in the Faisalabad District of Punjab. The Christian girl's captor has been identified as Muhammad Mohsin Shah – a man who is well known in the area for abducting and forcibly converting girls from religious minorities.

• Christian Sentenced to Life in Prison for Alleged Blasphemy

  

  On March 18th, 2022, Fansan Shahid was taken from his home in Lahore and charged with blasphemy. The charges arose after the Christian man purportedly commented on photos of suicide bombings that occurred in Sri Lanka. As the attackers appeared to be Muslims, his accuser alleged that Fansan's social media comment insulted the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

• Rape Victim Pressured to Drop Charges

  

  Two men have been arrested for repeatedly sexually assaulting a Christian woman and blackmailing her after recording the ordeal. The 26-year-old woman, who remains unnamed, has been facing pressure to drop all charges against her assailants.

• Acquittals in Blasphemy Cases

  

  In August 2023, thousands of citizens demonstrated in the streets of Jaranwala, Punjab, after allegations of blasphemy were announced against two Christian brothers. Umair Saleem Masih (known as Raja) and Omar Saleem Masih (known as Rocky) were accused of burning pages from the Quran while disposing of garbage. More details on the original allegations, and the resulting violence that took place in the community, are available here