A 28-year-old Christian labourer, Asif Masih, died in hospital on May 5 after allegedly being brutally tortured by a group of men associated with a local Muslim landlord in the village of Saho Ki Malian, located in the jurisdiction of the Housing Colony Police Station, Sheikhupura district, Punjab.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed by his employer, Mushtaq Ahmad, Asif had been working on the farm for the past year. On the night between April 29 and 30, he was sent to operate a thresher machine with another worker, Irfan Dogar. While returning to the village in the early morning hours, the two men were reportedly stopped near the agricultural tube well of Ashfaq Dogar by a group of men.

The suspects, identified in the FIR as Imran, Naseer, Gharib Alam, Allah Yar, Sufiyan, and two unidentified individuals, allegedly accused Asif of deliberately allowing livestock to enter their fields. According to the complaint, Imran ordered the group to seize Asif, while Irfan, who attempted to intervene, was threatened with death.

Witnesses said that Asif was severely beaten by the group. Although several villagers working nearby gathered at the scene, none intervened due to fear of reprisal. Asif was later taken to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Sheikhupura in critical condition, where he remained under treatment until he succumbed to his injuries on May 5.

Police have registered a case under sections 302 (murder), 147 (rioting), and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Pakistan Penal Code. The investigation has been assigned to officer Ali Raza (1491/C), and the Station House Officer (SHO) has been informed. However, no arrests had been confirmed at the time of this release.

Asif Masih was laid to rest on May 6 in the local Christian cemetery. His funeral was attended by a large number of local residents, community leaders, and rights activists, who condemned the killing and called for swift justice.

Speaking to media at the funeral, Asif’s elder sister, Farah Bibi, tearfully described her brother as a peaceful and hardworking man. “He never fought with anyone. He was innocent. We want justice—nothing less,” she said.

Our Local partners who attended the funeral described the situation as devastating. “The family is poor, overwhelmed, and unsure of how to proceed. We are in regular contact with them and have offered full legal support to ensure justice is pursued,” a representative stated.

Nasir Saeed, Director of the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS-UK), strongly condemned the incident, calling it a “shameful act” in which a young Christian man was killed over petty and baseless allegations.

“The lives of Christians in rural Pakistan are often treated as disposable,” Saeed said. “In recent years, we’ve documented several cases where Christian workers have been falsely accused, targeted, and murdered with little to no accountability.” He cited a similar case from the same region in which Shahid Masih, a Christian father of six, was beaten to death by his Muslim employer over false allegations of goat theft—allegations that were later proven baseless, yet justice remains elusive for his widow.

Saeed further expressed concern that the FIR in Asif’s case was registered by the employer, rather than a member of Asif’s family. “This raises serious questions about access to justice for the victim’s loved ones. All those named in the FIR must be arrested immediately and prosecuted under the law,” he emphasized.

A spokesperson for Sheikhupura police confirmed that investigations are ongoing and assured the public that all individuals found responsible would be brought to justice.