by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

KASUR, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – Several Christian families in Pakistan’s Punjab province were recovering from injuries Sunday after what they described as “targeted attacks” by suspected Islamic extremists, reflecting broader pressure on Christians and other minorities in the Muslim-majority nation.

On February 6, an attempted murder was reported in the village of Theelpur in Kasur District. Eyewitnesses and family members said three men “forced their way into the home of Liaqat Masih,” threatened to expel the family from the village, and hurled bricks during the assault.

Relatives said the attackers warned them to prepare to leave the area. The family reported injuries and said they were unable to resist “out of fear of further violence.” Photos sent to Worthy News showed a man with a bandage around his head.

In a separate incident in Gulshan Colony, Danish Masih and his wife were reportedly assaulted while operating their small grocery shop. The couple said they were targeted because they are “Christians running a business in the area.” In comments shared with Worthy News, Danish Masih expressed frustration over what he described as “a lack of adequate police response.”

Pastor Imran Amanat of advocacy group LEAD Ministries, who visited the affected families, told Worthy News that victims said they were attacked “solely because of their Christian faith.” He urged authorities to ensure protection and prevent further harm.

BONDED LABOR VIOLENCE CONTINUES

In the same district, LEAD Ministries reported the assault of a Christian bonded labor family in the brick kiln sector. Shehbaz Masih and his wife were allegedly beaten and threatened in recent days by a kiln owner after missing work due to illness.

“Such acts of violence have become a daily reality for Christians in Pakistan,” Pastor Amanat said. “Families live in fear, and perpetrators act with impunity because the law fails to protect the most vulnerable.”

Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of LEAD Ministries, said religious discrimination combined with poverty leaves many Christian laborers exposed to exploitation.

“These families are beaten, threatened, and silenced simply because of their faith and social status,” he added.

Human rights advocates have long documented concerns about bonded labor in Pakistan’s brick kilns, where impoverished families — including a disproportionate number of Christians — remain trapped in cycles of debt despite legal prohibitions on forced labor.

BROADER PRESSURE ON CHRISTIAN MINORITY

Rights observers say the incidents in Kasur reflect the ongoing vulnerability faced by religious minorities in parts of Pakistan, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas where enforcement of minority protections can be weak.

Pakistan’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and equal protection under the law.

However, minority advocates say implementation often falls short, leaving communities reliant on local influence and external advocacy for protection in the country of more than 240 million people, the majority of whom are Muslim.

Christian community leaders have urged authorities to ensure accountability in the reported assaults and to provide security for affected families.

PAKISTAN ON WORLD WATCH LIST

Pakistan consistently ranks among the world’s most difficult countries in which to be a Christian, according to the annual World Watch List published by Open Doors.

In its latest report, Open Doors again placed Pakistan among the top countries where Christians face severe persecution and discrimination. The organization cites strict blasphemy laws, forced conversions of Christian girls, societal discrimination, mob violence, and bonded labor affecting minority communities.

Open Doors has reported that Christians in Pakistan are particularly vulnerable in rural areas and economically marginalized sectors such as brick kilns, where debt bondage remains widespread despite legal prohibitions.

While Pakistani authorities have at times condemned attacks on minorities, rights groups say weak enforcement and social pressure often leave victims without adequate protection.

Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.

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