Two Christians who were arrested by officials following an Islamic attack on believers in Gojra, Pakistan (click here for more information), have faced brutal torture and abuse from authorities, according to an October 23 report from Compass Direct. Naveed Masih (32) and his brother, Nauman Masih (25), were arrested in early September for "rioting with deadly weapons and spreading terror with firing." Naveed has been accused of firing shots into the air and at the feet of Muslims in an attempt to disperse them during the August 1 violence. However, both brothers deny using weapons and believe they have been targeted because they provided shelter to over 300 women, children and seniors on the day of the attack.
The brothers were kept in detention illegally for 18 days at the Police Training Centre in Choong. During that time, police officers attempted to coerce the brothers into saying they fired the shots and had ties to terrorist organizations by denying them food and drink, beating them, hanging them upside down and preventing them from sleeping. Nauman has since been released on bail.
Learn more about the persecution of Christians in Pakistan by visiting the Pakistan Country Report.
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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