Pakistan: Akash Bashir is a symbol of unity for Christians

As part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, a group of believers from different Christian denominations made a pilgrimage to the grave of Akash Bashir, the young Pakistani Salesian who sacrificed his life in 2015 to prevent a terrorist attack in his parish.

In Pakistan, a nation of Islamic tradition, everyone considers the Servant of God Akash Bashir as a martyr, according to the Vatican agency Fides. His figure has become one “that unites Christians of all confessions.” In addition, Muslims also worship him.

“His sacrifice, by giving his life to protect the innocents who prayed in the church of Saint John in Lahore, transcends the limits of the Church and stands as a bridge for interreligious dialogue with the Muslim community,” Fides assures.

On January 18, an act of ecumenical prayer took place at his burial site in which participants “entrusted the lives of Christians in Pakistan to the intercession of this young man.”

Among them, a Catholic priest, Fr. Lazar Aslam, and two Protestant pastors, IB Rocky and Samuel Ashan Khokhar. The latter recalled that fateful March 15, 2015, when Bashir’s bravery in the face of a terrorist who intended to immolate himself inside the parish saved many lives.

“I was in charge of receiving the bodies, placing them in the morgue and preparing the list of the deceased. I especially remember writing Akash Bashir’s name on one of the body bags,” Khokhar said.

“It was a shocking moment to see the young man’s face. Although lifeless, I was struck by her beauty, the serenity and the smile that emanated from her face. “He radiated a luminous and sacred presence, reminiscent of the first Christian martyrs,” he said.

Rocky, for his part, told a group of young people that Bashir’s testimony conveys a powerful message: “stay firm in your faith.”

“It is up to each of us to love and protect our community, following the example of Akash, who sacrificed his life for God, for his Church and for his people,” he added.

For his part, Father Aslam highlighted the “powerful symbol of unity and interreligious communion” that the young Pakistani’s legacy represents. “His figure attracts people of various faiths, even non-Christians, to visit and pray next to his grave,” he said.

“It has been a deeply spiritual experience that has strengthened a sense of unity, recognizing each other as children of God, united by our shared humanity. Through his sacrifice, Akash Bashir continues to inspire the Pakistani faithful to be supportive, to protect their faith and to live the values ​​of love, peace and dialogue with each person,” the priest concluded.

Who was Akash Bashir?

Akash Bashir was born in Pakistan on June 22, 1994 in a humble family. He studied at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Lahore, leading a simple family life, with an important place for sports and prayer.

On March 15, 2015, the 20-year-old discovered that a person, who wanted to enter the temple, was carrying explosives under his clothes. He tried to stop him from advancing, but could not convince the terrorist to desist.

Then Akash hugged him tightly and said, “I will die, but I will not let you enter the church.” The attacker activated the bomb and both died. With his heroic act he prevented hundreds of people from perishing during the Mass.

Father Pierluigi Cameroni, general postulator of the causes of beatification and canonization of the Salesians, has gone so far as to affirm that “with his death, this young servant of the Gospel teaches that the glory of Heaven, the glory that lasts a lifetime and even “until eternal life is not that of riches and power, but that of love and dedication.”

Currently, more than 800 Catholic baptisms are celebrated annually in St. John’s Church in Lahore and many young people have joined the active life of the parishes. Furthermore, for religious minorities Akash is “a blessing.”

In 2024, the diocesan phase of the cause for beatification and canonization of Akash concluded, who could become the first holy martyr of Pakistan.