Killings, Debt Bondage Allegations Raise Alarm For Christians In Pakistan (Worthy News In-Depth)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – A series of alleged attacks and harassment targeting Christian communities in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, including at least one fatal assault, has raised renewed concern about the safety of religious minorities, advocacy group LEAD Ministries said.

The organization, which documents violence against Christians in Muslim-majority Pakistan, said the reported incidents occurred across multiple districts in Punjab, the country’s most populous province bordering India.

Authorities have announced investigations, though the outcomes remain unclear.

Worthy News reviewed police documentation in one of the cases.

CHRISTIAN SHOPKEEPER KILLED IN RAJA JANG

In Raja Jang, a town in Kasur District about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of Lahore, LEAD Ministries said Christian shopkeeper Haroon Masih was killed after demanding repayment for goods taken on credit.

His brother, Sohail Masih, was also injured in the attack, the group said. Haroon Masih later died at a hospital, leaving behind his wife, whom he had married just 10 months earlier.

Video obtained by Worthy News and broadcast by a local Christian outlet appeared to show Masih’s widow weeping as relatives gathered around her, describing him as the family’s sole provider.

“This reflects the vulnerability of Christian business owners in rural Punjab,” LEAD Ministries said, calling for “swift, transparent and impartial justice.”

Independent confirmation from district authorities was not immediately available.

KNIFE ATTACK ON BRICK-KILN WORKERS

In a separate case in Manga Mandi, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) southwest of Lahore, brick-kiln bonded laborer brothers Chand Masih and Robin Masih were attacked with knives while returning home from work, according to LEAD Ministries.

Chand Masih suffered serious abdominal injuries and remains hospitalized, the group said.

Documents reviewed by Worthy News show that a First Information Report (FIR No. 214/26) was registered at Police Station Manga Mandi on Feb. 2, 2026. The report cites attempted murder provisions under Pakistan’s Penal Code and lists Chand Masih as critically injured.

The FIR does not explicitly cite religious motivation. However, the complainant alleged prior harassment and the use of religious slurs, according to LEAD Ministries.

Under Pakistan’s legal system, an FIR — or First Information Report — formally initiates a criminal investigation. Without it, police are generally not obligated to proceed. Rights groups say authorities sometimes delay or decline FIR registration in cases involving religious minorities, making the filing itself significant.

Police in Lahore District did not immediately comment on possible arrests.

BONDED LABOR, MODERN SLAVERY

LEAD Ministries said bonded laborers — particularly Christians working in brick kilns — face “double exploitation: economic and religious,” despite laws prohibiting the practice.

Bonded labor typically involves impoverished families accepting advance loans from kiln owners or landlords and then working to repay the debt — often at high interest rates that make repayment nearly impossible.

Millions are believed to be trapped in bonded or forced labor across Pakistan. The Global Slavery Index estimates at least 2 million people live in conditions described as modern slavery, including debt bondage.

Other researchers suggest the number of bonded laborers alone could reach 3 million to 4 million, especially in Punjab and Sindh provinces, with many children working alongside their parents in kilns.

Christians and other marginalized minorities are disproportionately represented in such labor systems, advocacy groups say.

RURAL VILLAGE CONCERNS EXPAND

Beyond the brick kilns, similar concerns have surfaced in Gillan Wala Chak-114, a small agricultural village in Tehsil Sangla Hill of Nankana Sahib District — about 75 kilometers (45 miles) northwest of Lahore — where reports of poor working conditions have also raised alarm among Christian advocates.

According to LEAD Ministries, the Christian father of three, Faryad Masih, had been working with his wife and children at the home of a local influential Muslim landowner,Iftikhar Javed Alam Malhi, who reportedly returned from the United States several months ago.

Masih allegedly faced harsh conditions, including delayed meals and a lack of necessities. Frustrated, he reportedly left the job and the area.

Afterward, he was falsely accused of stealing 10 tolas (about 116 grams, or nearly 4 ounces) of gold, approximately $1,000 in cash, and an LED television, LEAD Ministries said.

In rural Pakistan, gold is commonly held as jewelry and often serves as a family’s primary form of savings.

RELATIVES ALSO IMPLICATED IN CASE A

The accusations reportedly extended to his relatives. His sister, children, and older brother, Maqbool Masih, were also implicated. Family members were taken into police custody, but most were later released, LEAD Ministries explained.

However, Masih’s sister was detained for nine days and briefly sent to jail, while his wife, Faiza, has been jailed for about a month, according to the group.

“His sister was released on bail, but his wife remains in jail because the family could not pay additional bail money,” said Christian rights advocate Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of LEAD Ministries.

“The husband was forced to flee and is in hiding. He and other family members were falsely accused of wrongdoing. This reflects a broader pattern of targeting Christians to leave them vulnerable,” Gill told Worthy News.

The family further alleged that the landowner forced Masih’s minor children to work during this turbulent period. They said the matter had been raised before the Lahore High Court.

Worthy News obtained photographs that appear to show the family’s rural house was locked with chains. LEAD Ministries said the locks were placed by the Muslim landowner, who did not comment.

The family claims authorities have not responded to their complaints and that threats were made demanding Masih returns to work.

MINORITY RIGHTS UNDER PRESSURE

The case highlights broader concerns about the treatment of Christians, who comprise roughly 1.5 percent to 2 percent of Pakistan’s population of more than 240 million people, most of them living in Punjab province.

Rights groups have long documented discrimination and violence against non-Muslim minorities, including Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadis.

“Blasphemy against Islam” accusations under Pakistan’s strict laws have frequently triggered mob violence, though executions under the statute remain rare.

Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion under Article 20, stating that every citizen has the right to profess and practice his or her faith. Authorities have repeatedly pledged to protect minority rights.

Advocacy groups, however, warn that weak enforcement and entrenched local power structures often leave vulnerable Christians and other communities without effective protection.

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