Brutally attacked young in Pakistan for refusing to become Islam

Amid the persecution suffered by Christians in Pakistan, a 22 -year -old was “brutally attacked” on March 22 by his supervisor, after refusing to become Islam.

The Pontifical Foundation helps the Church in need (ACN) He reviewed the attackhighlighting that it is another sample of the “persistent religious intolerance in much of the Pakistani society.”

Of the 208 million inhabitants of the Sudasian country, 96.47% profess Islam and 1.9% Christianity. The rest is divided between Buddhists, Hindus, agnostics and members of other local religions.

The attacks against Christians in Pakistan intensified in August 2023, after Muslims looted and set more than 25 churches and at least 85 homes in Jaranwala. The local church has assured that the community lives “terrified and without hope.”

This weekend, at the factory Subhan Paper Mills From Punjab, the young Christian Waqas Masih “suffered very serious neck injuries” after his supervisor, identified by ACN as “Zohaib” accused him of desecrating the Qur’an finding some of his pages in a garbage dump. The aggressor was arrested by the police and is accused of attempted murder.

“I picked up for its prompt recovery and for the well -being of your whole family. The attack against Waqas Masih is a hard reminder of the challenges faced by religious minorities in Pakistan and the urgent need for a social change to promote tolerance and protect the rights of all citizens,” ACN told the Franciscan Capuchino Lazar Aslam, who visited Masih in the hospital.

“We make a humble call to the international community to pray for the victims and their families, as well as to create awareness about the difficult situation of the marginalized communities in Pakistan, ensuring that their voices are heard and their protected rights,” he added.

In addition, in Pakistan there are recurring reports of Christians who are sentenced to prison sentences, and even death, for allegedly sharing messages against Islam on social networks. On this reality, Fr. Aslam highlighted the urgent need for local authorities to strive to protect the most vulnerable.

“Unfortunately, making false accusations of blasphemy and harassing weak minority communities has become a disturbing trend in Pakistan. We urge state institutions and the people responsible for taking concrete measures to prevent this type of incidents and guarantee the protection of minority rights,” he said.

Despite persecution and sufferings, Pakistani Catholics cling to the testimony of God’s servant Akash Bashir, a young man whom everyone considers a martyr because in 2015 he sacrificed his life to avoid a terrorist attack in his parish. The figure of Bashir has become a “that unites Christians of all confessions” even with some Muslims.