PAKISTAN: Rural Christian Community shaken after new death
Pakistan’s Christian community is in shock over the death of a Christian who was shot following six months of persecution.
Suleman Masih died last Wednesday (1st January) after being attacked by men on motorcycles in Kot Saadullah, Rahawali, Gujranwala on 29th December 2024. He was shot, sustaining severe kidney damage.
He was buried on Saturday (4th January).
The National (Catholic) Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), which investigated the death, told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) the killing was “a case of religious discrimination”.
Describing his son’s murder, the victim’s father Iqbal Masih told Christian Daily that “The assailants’ bullets hit Suleman in the stomach, while [his younger brother] Dawood narrowly managed to save his life.
“A bystander, Shamraiz Javed, also received a bullet injury in his knee in the attack.”
Father Lazar Aslam OFM told ACN that Mr Masih’s success in farming made him a target for hostility by jealous members of the Muslim-majority community, and he endured six months of threats, harassment and attacks – including the destruction of his crops.
The Franciscan priest added that, despite Mr Masih reporting these incidents to the authorities, they took little or no action.
This version of events was confirmed by his father, Iqbal Masih, who said one of his son’s killers was Abdul Rehman Yaqoob, who resented his son obtaining a lease on a tract of government land.
He added: “Ever since he got the land, Suleman was being threatened by Yaqoob and his relatives.
“They also even tried to damage his farming equipment, including a wheat-thrashing machine, by firing bullets at it in October, but the police did not take any action against them due to their political influence.”
Iqbal Masih added: “Suleman was a very gentle soul and a committed Christian.
“He had gotten married some months ago, but the cruel criminals have turned his young wife into a widow and created a void in our life that will never be filled.”
Fr Aslam and Mr Masih’s family have called for justice – urging both local and international authorities to take action to protect religious minorities and prevent further acts of violence and discrimination.
Four of Suleman Masih’s attackers have been arrested, but Abdul Rehman Yaqoob remains at large.