Christian Family Humiliated by Group of Muslim Armed Men - Belongings Forcibly Looted

"I have three daughters and five sons and I had plans to sell those buffalo and use the money on the marriages of my daughters but now I have nothing"- Bashir Masih

Masih family

(KASUR, Pakistan) - More than 30 Muslim extremists armed with deadly weapons attacked and looted cattle belonging to a poor Christian family of village Jago Key Ghuman, near Chak No.45 Pariana PattoKi, in Kasur. Today the family came to National Director of LEAD (Legal Evangelical Association Development), Advocate Sardar Mushtaq Gill and requested for legal and moral support in recovery the looted and snatched forcibly cattle and other belongings of Christian family.

The facts of the case

On 15 May,2013 some armed Muslims forcibly entered the house of a Christian, Bashir Masih, and took his two Buffalo and one kid of Buffalo whose value in money is nearly Rs.425000 (Approximately US $4,250) and one motor bike whose value in money is Rs.30000 (Approximately US $300) and also kidnapped Bashir Masih, who was confined in a private prison cell and tortured many days. They threatened to kill the family members and also disgraced Christian women who were present in the house by forcing them to strip naked and abusing them verbally.

The next day, on 16 May 2013, Sugran Bibi went to the Police Station Serai Mughal to register a complaint against the Culprits. The SHO Serai Mughal did not take the case seriously and did not register her complaint against the culprits because the Muslim culprits are strong and landlords of the Village.

On 19 May 2013 The Muslim culprits registered false FIR (First Information Report) NO.136/13 against Bashir Masih so that it could be easy to settle the matter and engulf the belongings of the Christian family.

The poor Christian family requested the aid of some political figures too and also respectable persons of the locality but all was in vain.

On 31 May 2013, the FIR NO.155/13 was registered against the Muslims culprits who looted and kidnapped the Christian man. The Police are not making arrests, nor are they trying to arrest the Muslim suspects, they also refuse to recover the cattle and other belongings of the Christian family.

Bashir Masih was released from the illegal and unlawful custody of the Muslims.

Today, Bashir Masih told LEAD's National Director that they were terrified and fearful after that shocking incident which happened with their family.

"I will commit suicide if my belongings will not be given back as those were only my assets which I have saved for my family", Bashir said.

"I have three daughters and five sons and I had plans to sell those buffalo and use the money on the marriages of my daughters but now I have nothing", said Bashir.

"I went to political figures and requested to do something for taking back my belongings but all in vain", Bashir added.

"We are going regular to high police officials but they also do not want to help us and they also are not trying to arrest them", Said Nazir, brother of Bashir.

"We are not safe in Pakistan because (those) who wish to torture us happily torture and even police seem hopeless to make them punished from Court", said Bashir and Nazir. "Our future is dark and no hope of any good", said Bashir.

The LEAD organisation has been asking for much needed financial and moral support to continue defending Pakistan’s minority Christians. Many of our clients are very poor and unable to afford legal services. Due to this fact, many incidents go unreported, causing them to be under constant abuse from their oppressors.LEAD Advocates offers free legal aid and assistance to those unable to pay and persecuted.

In Solidarity,