Pray for End to Vigilante Justice for Christians!
May 27, 2024
Dear Friends,
A Christian factory owner Nazir Masih and his family face severe consequences for being well known as Christians in Pakistan after a violent Islamic mob attacked him and his factory in Sargodha city.
The incident took place around 7 am on Saturday, May 25; when rumors sparked that Nazir Masih, age 70 had desecrated the Quran while burning trash. This baseless accusation quickly incited a mob, which brutally assaulted Masih, dragged him into the street, beat him with sticks and bricks, vandalized his house and set his shoe factory on fire, which destroyed all raw materials and packaging, reducing them to ashes. Masih was critically injured but the mob even attacked the ambulance which transported him to the hospital.
A resident and eyewitnesses described the mob as highly enraged, including Muslims and youth actively participating in the destruction and women filming the incident on their phones. The attack was reportedly incited by Masih’s Muslim neighbour, Ayub Gondal, who harboured jealousy towards Masih’s successful business. A few days prior, an altercation between the children of both families had further fueled tensions. Gondal seized the opportunity to incite violence by falsely accusing Masih of burning the Quran when he saw the family burning Factory trash.
Masih’s nephew Rizwan Younus Gill also confirmed that his uncle was in a stable condition financially speaking. He said that a couple of days earlier, a TLP activist (Masih’s neighbor) had exchanged harsh words with his cousins, but the matter was resolved through negotiations. He denied allegations of desecration. According to Rizwan, Masih burnt wastepaper in the street outside his home and gone inside when someone threw a copy of the Quran into the fire. His Muslim neighbor Gondal accused him of desecrating the Quran and instigated local Muslims to attack him.
Masih’s nephew Rizwan Younus Gill also confirmed that his uncle was financially in a stable condition. He said that a couple of days ago a TLP activist (Masih’s neighbor) had exchanged harsh words with his cousins, but the matter was resolved through negotiations. He denied allegations of desecration.
An advocate and a former Christian Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) Punjab, Tahir Naveed Chaudhary confirmed that the family was merely disposing of paper waste and no Quranic pages were burned; Masih is framed into false blasphemy accusation.
Police were called to the scene to control the situation. District Police Officer (DPO) Dr Asad led the response, using tear gas to disperse the mob. Several policemen were also injured in efforts to intervene to calm the mob. 26 out of 44 Muslim men were identified through the CCTV footage & videos viral on social media arrested to identify all involved perpetrators. The Inspector General Police, (IGP) Punjab, Dr Usman Anwar visited the crime scene and confirmed that 2000 policemen were deployed to control the situation and maintain law and order. The IG Police imposed section 144 i.e. a ban on protests and sit-ins (no public gathering) for a week in the city.
Thanks to God that no lives were lost. Gill underwent head surgery and is in stable condition now and his family is kept at unknown place due to security concerns. They may return to their home when the situation normalizes. However, the attack has left the Christian community in Mujahid Colony terrified and traumatized. Police intervention prevented further escalation and protected the Church from potential vandalism. The local Christians have appealed to the government for additional security measures to avoid further attacks. There is also a push for educational campaigns to promote interfaith harmony, tolerance and co-existence to prevent the spread of false rumours that can lead to such violent outbreaks and unrest. This incident highlights serious concerns about mob justice and religious intolerance in Pakistan.
In the aftermath, local and international human rights organizations have condemned the attack and called for immediate reforms to prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws, which are often exploited to settle personal vendettas. The police and administrative agencies have been praised for their swift response in controlling the situation. However, there is a growing demand for stringent measures to ensure the protection of religious minorities in Pakistan. Such incidents and massive attacks against the Christian communities have been re-occurring in Pakistan since 1980, with increased frequency and intensity in recent years. The Christian communities of Shanti Nagar village, Gojra city, Badami Bagh Lahore, Jaranwala and now Sargodha have fallen prey to false blasphemy accusations
Nadeem Bhatti, president of CAPC strongly condemned the brutal attack and demands that the authorities conduct fair, transparent and expeditious investigations into this incident. He also requests the Honorable Chief Justice of Pakistan to intervene and take note of the frequent recurrence of such violence against the Christian Community. The culprits responsible for fabricating the case and instigating this incidence must be brought to justice. There is dire need for some serious commitment by the government to take stringent measures and find long-term solutions to address religious intolerance leading to such tragic incidents.
We humbly request all our faithful partners to support through prayers and giving for the persecuted Christians .
If you would like to, you can give through our website: www.capc.life, or via e-transfer to capersecutedchristian@gmail.com. If you prefer, you can mail a cheque to “Canadian Aid to Persecuted Christians” P.O Box 38086, Preston Crossing, Saskatoon, SK S7N 1H2.
May God bless you and multiply your seed for sowing,
Nadeem Bhatti
President
JoAnne Fredlund
Treasurer
Charity# 795406479RR0001
Treasurer, Canadian Aid to Persecuted Christians.
