Pakistan: A tragic incident in Sheikhupura has shocked the local Christian community, as a Christian farm worker was brutally beaten by Muslim landlords following a minor dispute over cattle trespassing. The victim succumbed to his injuries after four days in the hospital. The British Asian Christian Association (BACA) supported the grieving family, attending the funeral and covering all associated costs. 

A horrifying act of violence in Sheikhupura has left the local Christian community reeling, after a Christian farm worker was savagely beaten by Muslim landlords over a minor dispute involving cattle straying into their land. Despite fighting for his life for four days in hospital, the innocent man tragically succumbed to his injuries. The British Asian Christian Association (BACA) stood by the bereaved family, attending the funeral and covering all associated expenses.

Our officers met with Rashid Masih, the elder brother of Asif Masih, who tearfully recounted the tragic events that have devastated their entire family. Rashid explained that Asif Masih worked as a herd keeper and farm labourer for Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad, a local landlord. On 28th April, a dispute broke out between Asif and another landlord, Muhammad Imran, after a herd of animals strayed into Imran’s fields and grazed on his crops. Imran and his associates accused Asif of intentionally directing the animals onto their land, an allegation Asif firmly denied. The tension was temporarily eased through mediation by local elders and Asif’s employer. However, seeking revenge, Imran and his accomplices launched a violent attack on Asif just two days later, at around 4:00 am on 30th April, as he was returning home after a long night harvesting wheat on Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad’s farm.

The assailants lay in ambush along Asif Masih’s route home. As he neared their fields, Muhammad Imran suddenly emerged and shouted ‘you will die Churah’, calling out to his accomplices concealed behind nearby trees. In an instant, Imran, along with Naseer, Ghareeb Alam, and two unidentified men, descended upon Asif and launched a merciless attack. They beat him savagely with whatever they could find—including bricks—showing no restraint or humanity.

With tears streaming down his face, Rashid Masih told BACA:

“The culprits ruthlessly beat my brother to death. Not a single part of his body was spared. They placed bricks under his hands and crushed them with other bricks. I cannot begin to comprehend the pain my brother must have suffered in those final moments.”

The Housing Society Police Station has registered a First Information Report (FIR No. 1219/25) against the accused—Muhammad Imran, Naseer, Ghareeb Alam, and two unidentified men—under sections  147, 149 and 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Despite multiple raids on their residences, police have yet to apprehend any of the culprits.

147.     Punishment for rioting:

Whoever is guilty of rioting, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

149.     Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object:

If an offence is committed by any member of an unlawful assembly in prosecution of the common object of that assembly, or such as the members of that assembly knew to be likely to be committed in prosecution of that object, every person who, at the time of the committing of that offence, is a member of the same assembly, is guilty of that offence.

302.     Punishment of qatl-i-amd:

Whoever commits qatl-e-amd shall, subject to the provisions of this Chapter be:

(a)

punished with death as qisas;

(b)       punished with death or imprisonment for life as ta’zir having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, if the proof in either of the forms specified in Section 304 is not available; or

(c)        punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to twenty-five years, where according to the injunctions of Islam the punishment of qisas is not applicable 113[:] 113

 114[

Provided that nothing in this clause shall apply to the offence of qatl-i-amd if committed in the name or on the pretext of honour and the same shall fall within the ambit of (a) and (b), as the case may be.

] 114

Grief-stricken sisters Faraha and Neelam weep for their beloved brother Asif Masih, brutally taken from them.

On 6th May, a team from the British Asian Christian Association (BACA) visited Feroz Wattwan to attend the funeral of Asif Masih. Along with their presence, BACA provided financial support to cover the funeral expenses. Deeply moved by the support, Rashid Masih, Asif’s elder brother, thanked BACA and pleaded for continued help in pursuing justice for his innocent sibling.

Still overwhelmed with grief, Asif’s elder sister, Farha Bibi (34), tearfully told BACA:

“My brother was innocent, and they beat him like he was nothing just something to be hated. We want justice for him.”

We are urgently appealing for donations to help the family of Asif Masih secure justice after his brutal and faith-motivated murder. In Pakistan, murder cases—especially those involving Christians—are treated as civil matters, requiring families to hire private legal advocates. A competent lawyer to handle such a sensitive and high-risk case will cost around £2,000. Additionally, we hope to raise at least £600 to support Asif’s grieving family, who are now facing severe financial hardship due to the sudden loss of their sole breadwinner. Your generosity can help ensure that justice is not denied and that this devastated family receives both legal support and emergency relief in their time of need. 

Juliet Chowdhry, speaking on behalf of BACA, said:

“The sheer brutality of this attack is beyond comprehension. That these men shouted vile insults at Christianity—calling Asif a ‘Churah’ as they mercilessly beat him to death—exposes a deep, hateful malice towards an innocent man whose only ‘crime’ was his faith and social status. The family is traumatised, not only by the loss of their beloved brother, but by the horrific condition of his corpse, which reveals the full extent of the evil inflicted on him. This was not just murder—it was a message of contempt towards Pakistan’s Christian minority.”

“We at the British Asian Christian Association are determined to stand with this grieving family. We will provide legal representation to ensure no perpetrator escapes justice. These men must be held accountable—not offered freedom through the shameful exploitation of Pakistan’s Qisas and Diyat laws, which for too long have turned justice into a transaction. We will make sure this family is protected from coercion and that the memory of Asif Masih is honoured with the justice he deserves.”