VOM has resently learned that the pastor of a small church was killed on April 2 by a shotgun fired at point blank range at his home in Manawala, near Lahore, Pakistan. George Masih, wife Aniata and four children were watching the JESUS film in their home around noon. When the movie finished and Aniata opened the door to go outside, two masked attackers burst in. One grabbed Aniata while the other shot George in the face and then hit him with the butt of the gun.
Masih had been a Christian for seven years and was active in ministering for the Lord. Two years ago, they moved to Manawala to plant a church there. Their work, however, drew the anger of a Muslim neighbour, Shokat Ali. Ali urged the landlord to evict the Masih family and had threatened to kill Masih if he continued preaching.
Pastor George Masih and family
About three hundred people gathered for the funeral, including many Muslims who had been blessed by Masih's ministry. Aniata told VOM sources, "I need the prayers of my brothers and sisters that I may be strengthened by the Lord our God to bear this loss." Aniata has four children, ages eight, four, two and one.
Pray for Aniata and the children as they deal with this terrible loss. Pray that the ministry begun in Manawala will continue and that many will come to faith in Jesus Christ, despite this tragedy.
For more information on persecution in Pakistan, click here.
VOMC partners to train Christian women in sewing skills throughout Pakistan to provide a sustainable source of income for their families and encourage them in their faith and witness for Christ.
Religion (%) Islam (96.5), Other - Christian and Hindu (3.5)
Leader President Asif Ali Zardari (2024)
Government type Federal parliamentary republic
Legal system Common law system with Islamic law influence
Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Pakistan
Pray that amendments will be made to Pakistan's existing blasphemy laws so that the country's citizens – including its children – will be protected from injustice and abuse. May our Lord's mercy and justice prevail, not only in the judiciary system but also in the hearts of the country's militants. Ask Him to transform their "hearts of stone" into hearts that are receptive to His love, mercy and the workings of His Holy Spirit – not only for the purpose of protecting the Christian minority but also for the salvation of their own eternal souls.
Marshall Masih, a Christian father of four, was gunned down by four men from his neighbourhood in the city of Lahore during the early hours of July 10th. Marshall (who was also known as Bunty) had previously filed a police complaint against two Muslim neighbours, named Shani and Azam, because they had been harassing Christian women in the area and shooting their guns into the air. In retaliation, the two men broke into Marshall's home with the help of two other local Muslims and shot the young father 15 times.
In a decision referred to as "a step forward" by Christian leaders, the National Assembly of Pakistan recently passed an amendment to an act governing Christian marriages, banning matrimony for Christians under the age of 18. After the law was enacted on July 10th, Naveed Amir Jeeva, a Christian member of the National Assembly, stated, "The legislation aims to protect young girls from early and forced marriages, ensuring their access to education and health."
In August 2023, the Christian colony of Jaranwala was filled with violence after allegations of blasphemy were made against two brothers. During the rampage, as many as 400 homes and 26 church buildings were damaged or destroyed. For more details, and to view video footage of the attacks, see this page.
In May, shocking images of mob violence were revealed after 74-year-old Nazir Masih was falsely accused of burning pages from the Quran. The elderly Christian man was fatally wounded during the resulting mob violence, which also led to the destruction of his shoemaking business, along with several attacks against other Christians. Further details on the violent rampage are available here.
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