The killing of four unlinked minority individuals in Pakistan during the Islamic festival of Ramadan, may be a sign of increasing hostility towards non-Muslims in the country.
Dr. Birbal a Hindu from Karachi, Sardar Diyal Singh a Sikh from Peshawar and two Christian men Kashif Masih from Peshawar and Pervaiz Masih from Okara were all gunned down in unexplained killings.
Minority communities across the country are in terror that they may be the next victims.
The Christian family of Kashif Masih have informed BACA that police have told them that his murder has been declared a terrorist attack by local police.
Police in Pakistan have been unsuccessful in arresting any of the culprits involved in any of these murders.
A new wave of terrorism against peaceful members of minority communities in Pakistan, has cut down the lives of four persons in two weeks. All of the murders have occurred during the month of Ramadan and so far none of the assassins have been apprehended by Pakistani police authorities. This despite all the killings having been enacted in broad daylight before witnesses.
On 30th March, Dr Birbal Genani was returning home from his private clinic while driving on Liyari Express road, Karachi. He was travelling with his assistant Dr. Qurat Ul Ain when unidentified armed men on a motorcycle, suddenly began shooting at his car using semi-automatic machine guns. CCTV footage obtained by the police show Dr Birbal’s car losing control before hitting a wall and coming to a halt.
Dr Birbal was shot dead by a bullet to his head and the assistant doctor who was also shot sustained serious injuries. The police arrived on the scene and collected the evidence. Police officials have reported that it was a target killing however the police have discovered no motive.
Dr Ul-Ain was taken to a local hospital where she received treatment and has returned home.
Dr Birbal was the former senior director of health and an eye specialist at Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.
Sindh Governer Kamran Khan Tessori demanded a report from the police which stated the killers were unknown and that investigation is ongoing. Read GEO TV article (here).
The next day (31st March), Sardar Diyal Singh became the next victim of a shooting incident. He was shot dead while working in his grocery store based at Ghari Atta Muhammad, Dir Colony Road, Peshawar. Mr Singh was known to be a considerate man and it has been said that he would sell grocery items at low cost during Ramadan. Mr Singh was a resident of Mohala Jogan Shah and the community has been grieving his loss. Mr Singh has left a widow and three children behind him.
Local police arrived at the scene 30 minutes after the incident. During their investigation they found the shells of two bullets shot from a 30 calibre pistol. Police have yet to identify any suspects or motive.
In May last year, Mr. Singh’s two cousins Ranjit Singh and Koljit Singh were murdered in a targeted killing and an FIR was filed against the unknown perpetrators under the countries terrorism act. No progress has been made with that case either.
In the recent past, many Sikh shopkeepers have been killed in Peshawar, Charsadda, Khyber and other districts by terrorists. Sikh Communities across Pakistan are on high alert and many have expressed anxiety and fear of an impending attack. Read an Express Tribune article (here).
The next day on 1st April, a Christian man named Kashif Masih (34 yrs) who was a sweeper at the Municipal Corporation of Peshawar. He was gunned down by unknown assailants on a motorcycle, who killed him while he was walking home from work.
Kashif lived with two brothers in a three-storey rented apartment in Mohala Banaras Abad, Christian Colony, Peshawar. He leaves behind his Wife Sumbal Bibi (30 yrs); three children Kainat (12 yrs), Samson (10 yrs) and Brisha (4 yrs).
Asif Masih Gill, the eldest brother of Kashif Masih, spoke with BACA, he said:
“This is an act of sheer terrorism.
“Poor people in Pakistan dare not have any enmity with anyone.
“The whole areas is surrounded by Madrassas [Islamic seminaries] and I know my brother has been killed because of his Christian faith”
“The Christian community has been terrified by the attack.
“My brother was a family man even after a hard days work he loved to spend time with his wife and children”
Mrs Sumbal Bibi, said:,
“Kashif loved his children and he was a loyal husband.
“He worked hard to provide for us; working as a taxi driver during the evening after finishing his day job at the municipal corporation.
“My youngest daughter Brisha and my son Samson have not stopped crying since Kashif was killed.
“I tell them their father is with Jesus and one day we shall go to meet him in the Heaven, but it does little to console them.
“Kashif is the only earner in our family, I don’t know how we are going to survive.”
Sumbal told BACA that police are cooperating with the family and trying hard to find the culprits, but have no leads at present. They have told the family that they are investigating the incident as a terrorist attack.
British Asian Christian Association, has launched an appeal for the Family of Kashif Masih. We would like to help this family for one year as they get to grips with the loss of a father and main bread-winner. We need to raise £100 a month to cover the loss of Kashif’s wages. If you would like to enable us to support this family please donate (here).
A fourth murder took place in Okara on 12th April. Unknown assailants murdered another Christian, Pervaiz Masih (55 yrs). The two assassins on a motorcycle shot Mr Masih 13 times, hitting his head, chest and arms. Mr Masih was killed immediately.
Mr Masih worked as a sweeper near Markazi Jamia Masjid in Okara. Police collected what evidence they could but just as in the previous incidents no motive for the killing and no culprit have been determined. BACA is trying to reach the family to offer assistance.
Police are currently treating all these killings as terrorist concerns. It is believed that these killings m may be linked to heightened levels of kaffirphobia [hatred of non-Muslims], due to the sacred period of Ramadan where Muslims try to attain purification of their souls and a closeness to Allah. BACA has listed a number of incidents where Christians have been killed due to a fear of ritual impurity. One case is the murder of Saleem Masih who was killed for bathing in a tube well with Muslims in 2020 (click here), Shabbir Masih lost his wife and son when they were shot dead by a Mulsim neighbour over a drainage dispute. Water from their home flowed past a Muslim Shrine and the family protecting the shrine shot dead the Christian mother and son because they believed the ritual impurity of Christians was polluting the shrine (click here).
Pakistan’s most famous blasphemy convict Asia Bibi was imprisoned for over 9 years, for drinking water from a water pump dedicated for Muslims (click here).
Juliet Chowdhry, Trustee for British Asian Christian Association, said:
“These killings are currently being investigated as terrorist attacks.
“There seems to be no other motive.
“This is the worst kind of terrorism, one that is based on the whim of a zealot or a small cohort.
“When Muslim vigilante killers take lives in order to cleanse their communities of ritual impurity, no minority individual can feel safe.
“If these killings are proven to be based on religious bigotry, I fear Ramadan will always be a time of great anxiety for minorities.”
British Asian Christian Association, will monitor the police investigations into each of these killings and will update our supporters.
