Pastor Kamran Naz, a Christian cleric who survived an assassination attempt earlier this year, was shot dead on Thursday in District Gujranwala, raising renewed concerns about the safety of religious minorities in Pakistan.
According to initial reports, unidentified gunmen opened fire on Pastor Kamran while he was travelling in the city. The assailants fled the scene immediately after the attack. Police have cordoned off the area and begun collecting forensic evidence, but no arrests had been made at the time of filing this report.
Pastor Kamran had previously been attacked on 21 September 2025 in Islamabad, where he sustained injuries after unknown individuals targeted him in what community leaders widely condemned as a deliberate attempt on his life. An incident report was submitted at the time, and rights advocates appealed to authorities to provide him with adequate protection. However, despite clear and documented threats, no security measures were offered, and the investigation into the Islamabad attack yielded no substantial progress.
Christian community representatives have expressed profound grief and outrage, calling the murder a “serious failure of the state to protect vulnerable citizens.” Human rights organisations have urged the government to conduct a transparent and impartial inquiry, arrest the perpetrators, and implement effective security protocols for pastors, churches, and religious workers who face ongoing threats.
Authorities say that further information will be released once the formal investigation is complete.
Pastor Kamran Naz leaves behind a grieving family and a traumatised community. Calls for justice continue to grow as Pakistan’s minority groups question how many more lives must be lost before meaningful protections are implemented.
