A Christian man in Pakistan's Punjab province has died after being critically injured in a mob attack fueled by blasphemy allegations.
The incident, which transpired on May 25, has once again cast a harsh light on the plight of religious minorities in the Muslim-majority nation.
Nazir Masih, also known as Lazar Masih, was targeted by a mob led by activists from the radical Islamist outfit Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in Mujahid Colony, Sargodha district.
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According to police reports, the mob not only assaulted Masih but also set fire to his property, ransacking homes and shops belonging to the Christian community.
While Masih's family vehemently denied the blasphemy allegations, authorities stated that some pages of the Quran were found near the shoe factory, inciting the violence.
The attack resulted in injuries to Masih, another Christian, and ten police officers who intervened to disperse the mob.
Police subsequently registered a First Information Report (FIR) and apprehended over 140 suspects involved in the violence. Additionally, more than 450 individuals were booked under terrorism and other charges.
Masih, who had been undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Sargodha, succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.
His death has sparked fresh concerns about the safety of religious minorities in Pakistan, where blasphemy accusations are frequently weaponized to settle personal disputes.
The Cecil & Iris Chaudhry Foundation (CICF) conducted interviews with local residents, and their accounts suggest that the blasphemy charges against Masih stemmed from a long-standing conflict between his family and the Muslim community regarding a drainage issue.
This is not an isolated incident. In 2023, a mob in Faisalabad district burned down at least 24 churches and over 80 Christian homes after rumors surfaced that two Christians had desecrated the Quran.
Pakistan's religious demographics, as per 2021 data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, overwhelmingly favor Muslims (96.47%).
Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadi Muslims form a tiny fraction of the population (1.27%, 2.14%, and 0.09% respectively).
This minority status often translates into vulnerability, with blasphemy accusations posing a constant threat.
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