Sargodha, Pakistan – A shocking incident unfolded on the morning of Saturday, May 25, in Gillwala colony, Sargodha, Punjab. Nazir Gill Masih, the owner of a shoe factory, was brutally attacked by Islamic extremists accusing him of burning pages of the Quran. The frenzied mob not only assaulted Masih but also looted and set fire to the family’s factory and home, while ten family members managed to escape unharmed. Nazir Gill Masih sustained severe injuries and is currently in critical condition at the intensive care unit, according to multiple sources.
The executive director of the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) suggested that the attacks were likely driven by commercial rivalries and personal disputes rather than genuine religious outrage. Archbishop Joseph Arshad of Islamabad-Rawalpindi expressed shock over the incident and emphasized the inhumanity of the attack. Archbishop Arshad immediately traveled to Sargodha to assess the situation and called for a fair investigation by the authorities to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
In Pakistan, blasphemy is considered a serious offense punishable by death or life imprisonment, but it is often exploited to settle personal vendettas, leading to false accusations and mob violence. The role of the international community and media is seen as crucial in pressuring Pakistan to protect its religious minorities from extremist mindsets, as pointed out by Professor Shadid Mobeen, a contributor to ACN’s Report on Religious Freedom and a relative of the victim.
As Nazir Gill Masih fights for his life in the hospital, the rest of the family is under police protection following the violent assault. Calls for justice and protection of religious minorities continue to echo in the aftermath of this brutal attack, emphasizing the need for accountability and measures to prevent such atrocities in Pakistan.