The Pakistan Christian Post reports on a terrorist shooting of a Christian husband and wife, Aleem Masih and his wife Nadia Masih, by religious extremists who opposed their marriage and religious freedom. The husband Aleem Masih was murdered by gunshots and his wife Nadia remains in the critical condition in the hospital after surgery to remove bullets from her stomach.
The terrorist attack took place on July 30, 2015, in a village near Youhanabad (11 miles from Lahore), after repeated threats by Nadia’s family due to her religious beliefs.
The Pakistan Christian couple had been repeatedly threatened by the wife’s family, reportedly due to her conversion from Islam to Christianity, and the couple had filed court papers to seek protection from such threats. After repeated threats, the couple had fled to Narang Mandi (about 37 miles away from Lahore), and where they could not be found. But when Nadia went to a doctor in a village near Youhanabad, she was apparently recognized. Members of her family came to attack her and husband.
The report states Nadia’s father (Muhammad Din Meo) kidnapped the couple by gunpoint and drove them to a remote location where Nadia’s brothers brutally beat and shot them. The terrorist attack resulted in the death of Aleem Masih and serious injury of his wife Nadia.
Aleem Masih was shot in his ankle, stomach, and through his mouth, which instantly killed him. Nadia’s brother Muhammad Azhar shot her repeatedly and believed that she was dead, and sought to brag about his terrorist murder on the Christian woman. The terrorist called all Christians “dogs” and claimed that they all should be killed.
Muhammad Azhar was arrested by the police. The Pakistan Christian Post reports that the “FIR (First Information report) got registered under sections 302, 324, 34, 148, 149 PPC and FIR No. is 945/15. ”
When the police came to arrest Muhammad Azhar, Nadia Masih was found to be still alive. Local supporters of Muhammad Azhar’s terrorist attack prevented police from getting a statement from Nadia Masih on the attacks. She remains in the hospital in critical condition. It is uncertain if she will survive.
Naeem Masih, the brother of murdered Christian Aleem Masih states that his friend, Hanooq Yaqoob, witnessed the terrorist shooting of the Christian couple. The Pakistan Christian Post reports that Naeem Masih’s wife stated that she “told the Voice team that she heard the people of the Village shouting and rejoicing at the murder of Aleem and saying that they can send their sons to death happily if they kill more Christians.”
In March 2015, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) reported on the terrorist attacks on Protestant and Catholic Christian Churches by the Taliban killing 15 Christians and injuring 80. These terrorist attacks were also in the Youhanabad area near Lahore. Pakistan Christian Congress leader Nazir Bhatti stated in March 2015 that “Violence is rising against Christians in Punjab province where incidents of burning alive Christian children, women and men happen on pretext to blasphemy law while setting on fire homes of Christians is matter of every week and culprits walk free on street.” Members of civil society have been calling for law enforcement and government action to stop such continuing terrorism. Geo TV reports that suspects have been arrested in the March 2015 attack, but details are not yet available.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) calls for the rule of law and end to such mob terrorist behavior against Pakistan Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan. R.E.A.L. supports our Universal Human Rights for all people, including the freedom of religion, equality, security, and dignity, as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR),
Pakistan is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) ratified as of June 23, 2010, as well as a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Pakistan religious oppression of minorities, such as its repressive Blasphemy Law is in direct contradiction to its international agreement of ICCPR Article 18, which includes “1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.”
We urge all – in Pakistan and around the world – to be responsible for equality and liberty.