LEAD Ministries Demands Justice for Murdered Christian Laborer in Pakistan (Worthy News Investigation)

By Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Worthy News) – Christian activists are demanding justice after a farm worker was shot dead in Pakistan’s Punjab province, allegedly by men linked to a Muslim landowner, in a killing that underscores ongoing attacks against religious minorities in the Islamic nation.

LEAD Ministries Pakistan, a Christian advocacy group, said Boota Masih, 55, was killed last month while working in the agricultural fields of Tehsil Pasroor, Sialkot District.

“The murder, reportedly linked to a land dispute between two Muslim landlords, has once again brought to light the vulnerability of religious minorities in Pakistan,” LEAD told Worthy News. “According to reports, Boota Masih was not involved in any conflict but became the victim of a violent feud between the landowners.”

LEAD said one of the men, Khalid Jatt, allegedly hired Rana Muhammad Abas, who is accused of shooting Masih in the stomach at close range, killing him instantly.

A First Information Report (FIR), required to launch a criminal investigation in Pakistan, was registered with police. However, the accused were granted interim bail and “continue to roam freely,” said Sardar Mushtaq Gill, a Christian human rights lawyer and founder of LEAD.

“Disturbingly, they are allegedly threatening Boota Masih’s family, including his sons and daughters, as well as other members of the local Christian community. The family is now living in fear, and despite the serious crime, no arrests have been made so far,” Gill told Worthy News.

DEMANDING ARRESTS

LEAD condemned the killing and called for the immediate arrest of all those involved. The group urged authorities to provide security for the grieving family and ensure “a fair and unbiased investigation, free from the influence of powerful individuals.”

Advocates said the killing reflects a broader pattern of persecution and discrimination against Christians in Pakistan. Human rights groups stressed the case highlights the urgent need for stronger legal protections for minorities and accountability for perpetrators regardless of social or political standing.

LEAD has appealed to Pakistan’s government, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies “to uphold the rule of law and deliver justice without delay” and urged Christians and others “to speak out in support of Boota Masih’s family and the Christian community in Pasroor.”

Violence against Christians has also included the destruction of at least 21 churches in Jaranwala in August 2023, when Muslim mobs attacked neighborhoods and displaced hundreds of believers, Christians said.

In one widely circulated video, reviewed by Worthy News, Kamran Masih, a Christian man, was beaten by influential Muslim extremist Muhammad Nazir Bhatti. He was forcibly shaved, his face blackened, and then paraded publicly in humiliation. Rights groups condemned the act as a gross violation of fundamental rights and a chilling warning to Pakistan’s Christian minority.

Another viral video, also seen by Worthy News, showed cleric Mufti Muhammad Awais Aziz delivering a hate-filled sermon laced with vulgar language that denigrated Christians and their churches. LEAD’s Gill branded such clerics “black sheep” who misuse Islam to advance hate.

BLASPHEMY LAWS

Pakistan’s blasphemy laws have further fueled persecution, rights groups say, noting they are frequently misused against minorities.

About 25 percent of all blasphemy allegations are directed against Christians, who make up only 1.8 percent of the population, according to researchers.

Pakistan ranks eighth on the 2025 Open Doors World Watch List, which identifies the 50 countries where Christians reportedly face the most severe persecution.

This follows its seventh-place ranking in 2024, though its overall persecution score remains high at 87 out of 100.

Christian leaders and rights advocates say the international community must not remain silent and should demand changes from the government, warning that the safety, dignity, and rights of millions of vulnerable people are at stake.

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