Islamabad, May 28 (IANS) Nearly two years after a violent mob killed 73-year-old Pakistani Christian Nazir (Lazar) Masih over blasphemy allegations in Pakistan’s Sargodha, his family has said that they are still waiting for justice, along with compensation for the destruction of their property which remains abandoned after they left the city in Punjab province.
While people in Pakistan celebrated Eid al-Adha, Sultan Gill was preparing for the death anniversary of his father, Nazir (Lazar) Masih, who had died after nearly 2,000 people attacked his family in Sargodha in 2024 following allegations that Masih had desecrated pages of the Quran, a report in EWTN News detailed.
The mob attacked Masih’s home and shoe factory and set the business on fire after an announcement in mosque reportedly amplified the allegations. Police evacuated nine members of the family, however, Masih, who was caught by the mob and beaten with stones, bricks and sticks, succumbed to his injuries.
His death had sparked major protests by Christian groups in Pakistan.
“Our wounds became fresh during Eid. The cruelty cannot be described in words,” EWTN News quoted Gill as saying. He said, “The confidence is gone. We cannot move around or talk freely. Two of my children had to discontinue their education and start working to support the family in a new city and help pay house rent.”
Sultan Gill said that police had assured them that they will receive Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 1.2 million as compensation for damage to the factory, which was actually worth millions. However, he said that they have received nothing despite repeated visits to the district administration and Punjab province’s minority affairs minister, according to EWTN News report.
Sargodha police lodged cases against about 450 unidentified suspects under anti-terrorism laws and 25 people were arrested over the attack on Masih. However, Sunil Kaleem, Director of the Organisation for Legal Aid, has said that all of the accused were released within weeks.
Meanwhile, a church leader has accused Pakistani police of not following the Supreme Court’s order to arrest all suspects involved in the attacks that took place on multiple churches and Christian homes in Jaranwala area of Pakistan’s Punjab province in 2023, a report has stated.
Khalid Mukhtar, whose parish house was among the properties destroyed in the violence, said authorities made little progress despite the Supreme Court’s orders on March 31, where it directed police to arrest absconding suspects and ordered the Faisalabad anti-terrorism court to conclude the trials within six months, the Christian Daily International reported.
Mukhtar, who is now serving as priest of St Joseph’s Church in Faisalabad, said: “The Supreme Court directed the police to immediately arrest all absconding suspects and ordered the anti-terrorism court to conclude the trials within six months.”
“Despite providing police with video and photographic evidence identifying many of those involved, there has been no meaningful progress in arrests. We have met senior police officials several times since the ruling, but their assurances have not translated into concrete action,” he said.
Mukhtar said that only one suspect remains in prison among 336 suspects against whom police have submitted charge sheets, while the others have either been granted bail or discharged from cases lodged by Christians, the report said. Violence in Jaranwala erupted after two Christians were accused of desecrating the Quran. Later, a trial court acquitted both men and stated that they had been falsely implicated following a personal dispute.
–IANS
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