Christian Mother Assaulted in Pakistan as Suspect Freed Within Minutes, Lawyer Says

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) – A prominent Christian lawyer has urged Pakistan’s government to intervene as a man accused of brutally assaulting a Christian woman and tearing her clothes in a Punjab province market was released within just 30 minutes of police detention, apparently due to his “contacts” with authorities, Christians said.

High Court Advocate Farooq Bashir, secretary general of the Christian Lawyers Alliance Pakistan (CLAP), told Worthy News he is supporting Kiran, a Christian mother of two children, who was attacked in Punjab’s capital Lahore while seeking the return of her family’s savings.

Kiran’s husband, Babar, works as a painter and daily laborer, struggling to provide food for his family, Bashir explained. Through years of “sacrifice and frugal living,” the couple managed to save 250,000 Pakistani rupees (about $900), money they planned to use as an assurance deposit for housing, “a common arrangement in Pakistan where tenants provide a lump sum that is returned when they leave,” he added.

Christians said the family gave the deposit to a man publicly identified as Waqar Ali, but he allegedly neither provided them with a house nor returned their money. According to an official police First Information Report (FIR), Ali repeatedly refused to meet the couple and denied returning their savings.

CHRISTIAN FAMILY SEEKS JUSTICE

On January 24, 2026, Kiran reportedly saw Ali at a local market and pleaded with him to return the money because her family was in desperate need. Instead, witnesses said he became violent and attacked her in public.

“In broad daylight, in the middle of the street, he brutally beat her, punched her in the face, tore her clothes, and shouted, ‘How dare you, filthy Christian woman, ask me to return your money!’” Bashir said, citing Kiran’s testimony and the FIR.

Kiran cried for help, but no one intervened, Christians said, adding that she was left humiliated and injured. A photo obtained by Worthy News showed injuries on her face.

The case was officially registered at a police station in Lahore on January 28, 2026. However, Bashir said the accused was released on interim bail within minutes, raising serious concerns about justice and accountability.

LAWYER CONDEMNS “RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION”

“I strongly condemn in the most vehement terms the brutal and inhumane assault on Kiran, a Christian mother of two, simply for requesting the return of her own hard-earned savings,” Bashir told Worthy News.

“This act of violence is not only a heinous personal attack but also a glaring example of religious discrimination and the systemic marginalization of vulnerable Christian communities in Pakistan,” he added.

Worthy News agreed to publish only the first names of the attacked woman and her husband due to security concerns. Bashir warned that the quick release of the suspect “signals a dangerous disregard for justice and the rule of law” and could encourage further violence against women and religious minorities.

The Christian Lawyers Alliance Pakistan appealed to authorities to ensure Kiran receives justice, protection, and compensation for the trauma she endured.

“We urge law enforcement, policymakers, and the judiciary to act decisively, sending a clear message that Pakistan will not tolerate violence, discrimination, or injustice against religious minorities,” Bashir stressed.

CALL FOR GOVERNMENT ACTION

Christians said the case highlights the vulnerability of Christian women in Pakistan, a mainly Muslim nation where Christian believers report discrimination, intimidation, and violence.

CLAP also urged the international Christian community to “pray for Kiran, her husband, and their children,” while urging global attention to the “suffering of persecuted Christians.”

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