Kot Radha Kishan, Punjab — A young Christian boy from Kot Radha Kishan was allegedly abducted and brutally tortured by three Muslim youths in a shocking incident that has sparked outrage and renewed concerns about minority rights in Pakistan. Despite the registration of an FIR, no arrests have been made in the week since the attack, raising questions about police inaction and the influence of the perpetrators.
According to the victim’s father, 12-year-old Shoaib was lured from his home about seven days ago by a local boy named Haman, accompanied by Faiz and Ali, the son of a village advocate. The child was told he was needed to help carry wheat grains but was instead taken to a private haveli where he was bound, gagged, and assaulted at gunpoint.
What followed, the father says, was an ordeal of unimaginable cruelty. Shoaib was kicked and beaten with rods, burned on his arms and body with heated iron rods, and humiliated as his hair was hacked off in patches, his eyebrows shaved, and even his eyelashes plucked. His ribs were fractured by repeated blows, and his face was left so swollen and injured that he continues to struggle with speech.
“I begged them with folded hands not to harm my son,” the father recounted tearfully. “They ignored my cries. They burned him, tied his mouth, and beat him until he lost consciousness. My son had done nothing wrong — he was only called out under pretence. This cruelty was done to humiliate us because we are poor and Christian.”
The family has reported the case to police, who registered a First Information Report (FIR). However, relatives claim that the accused remain untouched due to their social connections. Ali, one of the alleged attackers, is the son of an influential lawyer in the area.
Shoaib’s injuries — including burn marks, broken ribs, shaved hair, and severe facial trauma — have been confirmed by community members. Yet, the family says they fear reprisals for seeking justice, as well as ongoing intimidation from the suspects.
Rights activists have described the incident as a grim reminder of systemic discrimination against religious minorities in Punjab. They note that the brutality inflicted on Shoaib constitutes not only criminal assault under Pakistan’s Penal Code but also violations of international human rights standards.
The family is calling for the immediate arrest of all accused, an independent investigation, and proper medical care and protection for their son. Civil society and human rights organisations have also urged authorities to act swiftly, warning that impunity in such cases perpetuates a culture of violence and intolerance.
This case, though shocking, is not isolated. It underscores the vulnerability of minority families in Pakistan, where justice often remains elusive when the perpetrators wield social or political influence.
