Mob Violence in Sargodha City – Canadian Aid to Persecuted Christians

Mob Attacks a Christian Man and Reduces His Business to Ashes

Pray for an End to Vigilante Justice for Christians

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 and damaged the ambulance which took 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 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 previously 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.
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 and arrested dozens of individuals through the evidence recorded by CCTV footage to identify all involved perpetrators. The Inspector General Police, (IGP) Punjab, Dr Usman Anwar visited the crime scene and confirmed that they deployed 2000 policemen to control the situation to obtain law and order. The lives of two Christian families were saved. 15 Muslim men were arrested in connection to this incident. The IG Police imposed section 144 (no public gathering) for a week in the city.

The attack has left the Christian community in Mujahid Colony terrified and traumatised. 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.

Mob Attacks a Christian Man and Reduces His Business to Ashes

Recent Articles