Faisalabad: Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) is highly condemned the religious persecutions of minorities in Pakistan, particularly where the Christians, Hindus, Ahmdiyya’s, Sikhs and others have been victimized in recent different attacks, during the last few months. The newly elected representatives and the government must have to make legislations for equal status of all citizens as per founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision and thoughts, HRFP urged!

A series of recent cases specifically the Christians murder cases in Faisalabad, Sialkot, and Kasur, are most alarming, those approached HRFP for support through HRFP's REAT Helpline (0800 09494) during the last few weeks.

HRFP stated in another Report of the Year 2023 that out of 905 phone calls; 866 phone calls have brought the cases of religious persecution with blasphemy (295 A/B/C of ppc ), abductions, forced conversions & forced marriages, murders/attacks, mob violence and religious discriminations.

The recent cases are addition in sufferings and the growing numbers has made minorities more vulnerable, HRFP added. 

Naveed Walter president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said that there are several incidents has reported just from the beginning of the year 2024; a murder of Christian youth Waseem Masih is a recent example of district Faisalabad. As per details collected by the HRFP team during visiting their house, incident place, and the family's visits to the HRFP office, Waseem Masih was murdered being a Christian. That happened on 19 January 2024 at Chanchal Singh Wala, Faisalabad, during attack at midnight, when Waseem was with his brother Sikandar Masih, Khurram Shahzad and cousin Gulfam Masih attending funeral of their relative, HRFP added.

The main perpetrator Hasan Ali first hit them with a bike pretending that was sudden, and as Waseem Masih and Sikandar Masih questioned, Hasan Ali went quickly to a nearby Mosque (Jamia Masjid) and brought Muhammad Zuhaib, Muhammad Umair, Hasan Ali, Mudassar Ali, Shoaib Ali with 4 unknowns and attacked on them. Waseem was shot dead while his brothers and cousin got injured as a result, those were hospitalized and still under treatment, the HRFP fact findings team stated.

As FIR was registered by Sikandar Masih, a murderer Muhammad Zuhaib was arrested while Umair and Hasan were granted the prearrest bails on 22 January 2024 by the session court of Faisalabad. Muhammad Zuhaib is still in jail, threatening through allies to get release, HRFP team added. 

The family of Waseem Masih is under severe threats that the culprits are demanding to step back in the court proceedings otherwise, the whole family would be harmed, HRFP team stated.  

Sikandar Masih with Khurram Shahzad visited the HRFP office and requested for legal assistance with other possible assistance. Sikandar Masih, Khurram Shahzad and Gulfam Masih shared with HRFP that the culprits live in the same area, and they are known by them, so that's also a reason they are more dangerous. Sikandar shared with HRFP, they were 5 siblings with 2 brothers and three sisters and now he is the only brother of three sisters, that’s harder to protect and assist family alone, he added.

Naveed Walter president of HRFP said further that during the last quarter of 2023, one of the big incidents happened in district Sialkot on 9 November 2023. That was a case of Christian youth Farhan Ul Qamar aged 20 who was also murdered due to his religion & belief, he added.  He said, Farhan Ul Qamar was murdered in revenge for Israel-Ghaza conflict, when a religious fundamentalist Muhammad Zubair was attacking Christians' homes relating them with Israel and Americans blaming that they are the agents, so they must be eliminated.

Farhan’s parents Noor & Nighat, and sister Shoua shared the details of incident during HRFP team fact findings visited them in Sialkot and when they visited HRFP office. Farhan's family said that the perpetrator has stated to police that he saw a Bible verse on social media tagged by Farhan Ul Qamar that meant him Farhan was supporting Israel. When the perpetrators saw that post they decided and attacked them. FIR was registered on the same day of 9 November 23, by Noor Ul Qamar, the case is in the court proceedings, HRFP fact findings team added.

Aqsa Riaz 17, a Christian girl, resident of district Kasur was murdered at Christmas mid night. She was kidnapped on 24 December 2023 evening when she was standing at the door after getting ready for Christmas Church. After kidnapping, on 31 December 2023, her dead body was found nearby the crops. FIR was registered on 26 December 2023 about her kidnapping. Aqsa’s father Riaz Masih & family shared the details and ground facts with HRFP fact finding team, that they have rejected the police investigation report that showing she was mentally retarded, she was just missed, and she was died by slipping her feet. While the Aqsa's family stated in FIR that she was kidnapped and killed on resistance. No further proceedings yet till date as the police compiled and submitted the investigation report in favor of the culprits that she was missed, her feet slipped, and she died; Riaz Masih shared further with HRFP team.

Naveed Walter president of HRFP said further that minorities as individuals & groups, in both ways are on the targets. As like, just recently Sattar Masih, Arfan Masih and 35 Christian families got ordered by the department of Irrigation to leave the area during February 2024. Whereas the families have been residing for the last several years. The slums were given authority earlier with the ownerships to residents. Sattar Masih and Arfan Masih shared with HRFP team during visiting on the site that their Church has been bulldozed on 10 January 2024. They said further during HRFP office visit for emergency assistance that this is big evidence of religious discrimination that in same streets Muslim families have not received any warning of evacuation from authorities but only the Christians, they added.

Naveed Walter said further that there are several examples of attempts to kidnap and murdering the Christians, as like in district Kasur on 3 December 2023 Muhammad Ashiq, Muhammad Bilal with Sardar Ali, and Bagh Ali attacked the house of Zaulfiqar Masih and subjected to violence the whole family with Qaiser Masih (Zaulfiqar's brother-in-law) and Shazia Masih particularly.

The perpetrators attempt to kidnap women and on refusing and resisting they sexually abused to Shazia Masih. The culprit's attempt to also burn the whole family. FIR was registered by Qaiser Masih and some of the perpetrators were arrested but the threats are not ended yet, HRFP added.

Naveed Walter president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said that the religious persecutions is mounting, as another case from district Sialkot has revealed that, on 22 January 2024 two Christian brothers Azam Masih and Nadeem Masih were kidnapped by Qaseem Shah and Sunny Shah, both first subjected to physical violence then they forced for convert to Islam; FIR stated and HRFP fact findings team also got the same facts.

Naveed Walter said that the Elections 2024 on 8 February 2024 could be a new hope for religious minorities of Pakistan if the new government set a strategy to make Pakistan for all citizens rather than only for Muslims. He urged to make sure for no more victimizations like Jaranwala, Gojra, Shanti Nagar, Youhanabad, Bahwalpur and in other several incidents, he added!

Naveed Walter said further that the situation for Pakistani minorities is getting critical, minorities repeatedly facing same kind of fatal issues, but no proper mechanism has been established yet. He demands to new coming government to provide foolproof protection to minorities in Pakistan as per Supreme Court of Pakistan recommended through Chief Justice Tassadaq Hussain Jillani in 2014. Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s 11th August 1947 speech should also be a part of constitution , HRFP urged to new coming government to add in their priorities.