Angry Mob Kill Christian Man, Accusing Him of Desecrating Quran
UPDATED: Pakistan: Extremists Set Fire to House and Shoe Factory; Blasphemy-accused Christian man (73) dies after brutal mob attack
Sajid Christopher of the Human Friends Organization thanks the police for preventing a much worse catastrophe. Photo:HFO
First published on stefanus.no 05.27.2024 Photos: HFO
Updated JUNE 3rd 2024. This is an updated version of an earlier report published on May 27 about a mob attack near Sargodha in Pakistan. The mob accused the Christian man Nasir Masih (73) of blasphemy and attempted to kill him. He has now died. Those who fled their homes when the mob came have returned home.
On the night of May 25, 2024, a storm swept through the region. By morning, Nazir Masih, a 73-year-old Christian living in Punjab province, Pakistan, was cleaning up debris around the shoe factory he owns. Unbeknownst to him, among the papers he burned were parts of a Quran.
Accidental Desecration
Sajid Christopher of the Human Friends Organization (HFO), the Stefanus Alliance's partner in Pakistan, reported that Nazir Masih inadvertently set a Quran on fire. HFO quickly responded to the scene and documented the incident.
Extremist Mobilizes Mob
Muhammad Ikram, a neighbor and member of the extremist Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), discovered the burnt Quran pages. Ikram, who had longstanding conflicts with Nazir Masih's family, confronted another Christian, Indaryas Masih, who apologized. However, Ikram rejected the apology and called in TLP extremists.
In the predominantly Muslim neighborhood of Mujahid Colony, about 200 Christian families live alongside a Muslim majority. The TLP, known for advocating the death penalty for blasphemy, quickly mobilized an angry mob.
Ikram called in people from the extremist party TLP. The raging mob was immediately on its way. – Sajid Christopher
The HFO team inspects the fire-damaged house of Nazir Masih. Photo: HFO
Police vs. Mob
The local police received 15 emergency calls but arrived to find a mob of 100-150 people, which soon grew to over 400. According to our sister organization CSW, the crowd eventually reached 1,000. Videos captured the chaos, showing vandalism and violent shouts. Police from several stations were called in to control the situation.
Despite police efforts to calm the mob with megaphones and assurances that Nazir Masih would face legal proceedings, the crowd turned violent. They set fire to Masih's shoe factory and attempted to break into his home. The local peace committee's mediation efforts failed, and the mob set fire to Masih's house.
The police managed to rescue the unconscious Nazir Masih, placing him in an ambulance. The mob attacked the ambulance, forcing paramedics to flee. Miraculously, a police officer used a motorcycle key to start the ambulance and drove Masih to DHQ hospital, saving his life.
Miraculously, a police officer managed to start the ambulance using a motorcycle key.
Commendable Police Effort
"The police did an excellent job. They saved Nazir Masih's life and prevented another tragedy like Jaranwala," said Sajid Christopher of HFO. In Jaranwala, an entire Christian neighborhood was burned down in August after extremists found damaged Quran pages. The police arrived too late to prevent the destruction.
Nazir Masih has been charged with blasphemy under sections 295 A and B, which carry the death penalty, and under laws against terrorism and extremism. The mob was also reported, with 44 people named in the police report and 26 arrested, according to the Pakistani online newspaper Dawn.
The fire-damaged shoe factory of Nazir Masih. Photo: HFO
Christians Flee in Panic
"Many Christians locked their homes and fled in panic," reported HFO. Significant police efforts were made to restore calm and ensure the safety of the neighborhood. By May 29, those who had fled had returned home.
Blasphemy Law Criticized
Johannes Morken of the Stefanus Alliance condemned the violence but praised the police for preventing further escalation. He criticized Pakistan's blasphemy law, calling for the charges against Nazir Masih to be dropped and the laws repealed.
The situation in Mujahid Colony remains tense but under control with a heavy police presence, reported HFO on May 28. "The authorities are working to stabilize the situation, ensure justice, and prevent such incidents from recurring," said Sajid Christopher.
Nasir Masih (73), who was beaten unconscious by the mob and had his house set on fire, died in the hospital. Before he passed he was reported to the police for blasphemy. Photo: CICF
Providing Legal and Social Services
Nazir Masih remains hospitalized, while his family is in a secure location under police protection. HFO is coordinating with church leaders to offer legal assistance to ensure a fair trial for Masih.
HFO has also provided food aid and is offering psychosocial and financial support to families traumatized by the violence. They are working to strengthen community dialogues and will continue to monitor and report on the situation.