In a deeply disturbing incident, Kashif Masih, a Christian father of three, was allegedly tortured and brutally murdered in the outskirts of Sheikhupura (Punjab). The main suspect and his accomplices have fled the area, prompting police raids and an ongoing investigation.
Kashif Masih was a hardworking man who supported his family through brick-kiln labour while also running a small mobile phone shop. According to a police complaint filed by his father, Bashir Masih, Kashif was taken late at night by Sarwan alias Kaka—himself a brick-kiln worker—along with two unidentified men after closing his shop.
When Kashif failed to return home for several hours, family members went to Sarwan’s house to inquire about his whereabouts, only to learn that Sarwan had also not returned home since the previous night.
In the early hours of the morning, a local resident, Ilyas Masih, informed the family that Kashif Masih’s body had been found in a water channel near nearby fields. Police arrived at the scene, took the body into custody, and shifted it to hospital for post-mortem examination.
Police have registered a case against Sarwan alias Kaka and other unidentified suspects and launched a formal investigation. According to sources, Kashif had earlier expressed concern that the suspect was behaving inappropriately towards his wife, which had already led to heated arguments between them. Following the incident, the suspect’s family reportedly locked their homes and fled the village. Police say raids are ongoing to arrest those responsible.
Kashif Masih was laid to rest in his ancestral village. His funeral was attended by a large number of local residents, members of the Christian community, pastors from various churches, social activists, and representatives of civil society organisations. Mourners expressed deep grief and anger, demanding the immediate arrest of the killers and strict punishment under the law.
Church leaders and community representatives urged the government and law enforcement agencies to ensure the protection of minority communities and deliver swift justice to the bereaved family.
This tragic incident once again highlights an uncomfortable reality: Christians in Pakistan are often denied equal dignity, treated as inferior to Muslims, subjected to degrading treatment, and—at times—killed with impunity.
CLAAS-UK hopes and prays that justice will be done for Kashif Masih, that his family will not be abandoned, and that the perpetrators will be held fully accountable—so that no other family has to endure such a devastating loss in silence.
