A 15-year-old Christian minor was brutally murdered by a group of Muslim assailants in Gujranwala.
The altercation began when a teenager rejected the sexual advances of a pedophile gang known to local police.
Four Christian teenagers in total were targeted in the gun attack but only one other was injured.
During a funeral service on 6th February, British Asian Christian Association offered support to the family and paid for the funeral.
On February 5th, an incident fueled by religious hatred claimed the precious life of Sunil Masih, a 15-year-old seventh-grade student from the Christian Colony in Mandiala Waraich. Motivated by religious intolerance, the perpetrators indiscriminately opened fire on a group of Christian boys who were simply standing at a grocery shop in the area. Sunil sustained a gunshot wound to his chest, and despite being rushed to the hospital, he tragically succumbed to his injuries.
Two days prior, on February 4th, a disturbing event unfolded when a group of intoxicated individuals, led by Muhammad Zamman Butt, arrived at the Christian colony. This group, driven by malicious intent, attempted to kidnap Sharoon Masih, also 15 years old, for sexual assault at gunpoint. When Sharoon bravely resisted, he was subjected to a brutal beating that rendered him unconscious. To intimidate the community and deter any intervention, the assailants fired shots into the air.
A member of the crowd promptly informed Sharoon’s parents about the incident, prompting them to rush to the scene where they found Sharoon lying unconscious on the ground. The culprits fled the scene, leaving the distressed parents of Sharoon with threats. Arif Masih, aged 43 and father of Sharoon, immediately dialed the 15 Police emergency helpline to report the matter. Despite the prompt arrival of the police, who collected evidence swiftly, none of the culprits could be apprehended as they had already escaped to an unknown location.
Later that night, Noki Butt, the uncle of Zaman Butt, along with other Muslims, visited Sharoon’s residence seeking forgiveness and reconciliation. Being a God-fearing family, they chose to forgive the culprits, unaware of the impending disaster it would bring upon the community the following day.
On February 5th, at around 5:30 pm, the culprit Muhammad Zaman reappeared with his accomplices, all armed with pistols, and commenced verbally abusing Christians. He targeted teenagers, Sunil Masih, Jamshed Masih, Salmoon Masih, and Micheal Masih, who were standing at the Ludhiyanvi Grocery shop. Muhammad Adil shouted slogans, declaring their intent not to spare any Christians that day.”
“Kill all the Churas!” shouted Muhammad Adil, as Muhammad Zaman Butt opened fire directly at Sunil Masih, striking him on the left side of his chest just above his heart, causing him to collapse on the spot. Meanwhile, Muhammad Anis fired at Jamshed Masih, causing only minor injuries as others managed to shield themselves by hiding behind a wall. The assailants then fled the scene, hurling insults at the entire Christian community.
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https://youtu.be/PBmY3_KcqDE
Sunil Masih was rushed to the emergency unit of the Medical College Hospital, where doctors sadly informed his uncle that Sunil had already succumbed to his injuries. Despite the Cant Police registering a crime report (FIR No. 226/24) against the culprits under sections , 148, 149 and 302 of the Pakistan Pena Code (PPC) they have thus far failed to apprehend any of them.
Mehboob Gill, Sunil Masih’s 28-year-old uncle, informed BACA, “Sunil had no involvement with the culprits; he was simply a seventh-grade student.” He added, “We will fight for justice for the innocent blood of Sunil.”
The entire Christian community in Mandiala Waraich is grieving deeply and has staged protests demanding the culprits’ arrest.
Sunil’s body was taken to his home after the postmortem, and his funeral was held in his native village, Mandiala Waraich. A dedicated team from BACA visited the family on February 6th and attended Sunil Masih’s funeral. The family is devastated by the loss of their beloved son. Sunil’s father, George Gill, works as a helper at a welding workshop, while his mother, Gladys George, is a housewife. Sunil was the eldest of three sons. BACA offered condolences to the family and assured them of legal assistance in seeking justice against this brutality.
Efforts to meet with Sharoon Masih and his family, who are deeply terrified by Sunil Masih’s murder, were declined by them.
Asif Masih, a local church pastor, shed light on the underlying conflict that led to this horrific tragedy involving a vulnerable Christian family in Mandiala Waraich. He shared with us the heartbreaking details of the ordeal, emphasizing the urgent need for justice and protection for marginalized communities.
“The perpetrators were known for their consistent pattern of harassing and assaulting young Christian men in the community.
“They are part of a growing local paedophile ring, that is known to the police but being ignored.
“Their vile depredations target the weak Christian community because authorities ignore our pleas for help.”
We covered a story from the same village last year when Muslim individuals entered the church courtyard during a Christian family’s marriage ceremony (click here). Muhammad Awais and his associates harassed Christian women and assaulted a Christian minor, Hanook Masih. This incident escalated into a conflict between Christians and Muslims, leading the latter to open fire at the church’s cross.
Despite an initial effort by BACA to pursue justice through the legal system, frightened families opted to halt the case prematurely. However, the conflict found resolution through a panchayat, a gathering of local leaders, where Muslim elders acknowledged the wrongdoing of their community members and sought forgiveness from the Christian community. Forgiveness was granted with the stipulation that Muslim youths abstain from similar actions in the future.
BACA is committed to empowering and supporting Christian families in pursuing legal recourse this time. However, we can only achieve this with your assistance. The cost of hiring a legal advocate is estimated to be around £1500. Your donations can help us reach this goal and ensure justice is served. You can contribute by donating (here).
Juliet Chowdhry, Trustee for the British Asian Christian Association, expressed her dismay, stating, “The tragic murder of an innocent Christian teenager could have been prevented. Fearful families, following a previous shooting incident, opted to accept a peace deal mediated by a panchayat last year, fearing that the police would not provide adequate protection if they pursued justice through the courts. It is a damning indictment of the Pakistani law enforcement and justice system that the perpetrators of last year’s shooting incident have escalated their violence to the extent of cold-bloodedly killing a 15-year-old. What is even more distressing is the fact that, to date, not a single arrest has been made. The police seem to be banking on the hope that local Christians will once again accept an apology, this time possibly with a compensation deal. This indifference and lack of action must come to an end.”
