Tensions over religious discrimination boiled over in Pakistan’s Punjab province when four fruit sellers launched a brutal attack on Christian worker Yusuf Masih in Gujranwala’s market area. Using a two-kilogram iron scale weight as a weapon, the assailants left the victim in a pool of blood, sparking outrage among human rights defenders.
According to reports from Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), the violence erupted amid prior conflicts; the attackers had earlier targeted Masih’s overseer with abusive language. Onlookers braved the chaos to assist the wounded man, highlighting the climate of fear gripping minority neighborhoods.
‘This is no one-off tragedy—it’s the grim reality of bias against Christian laborers,’ said Pastor Imran Amanat, a vocal community figure. His words echo the struggles of Punjab’s Christians, who toil in despised sanitation roles yet face constant vilification for their beliefs.
VOPM paints a broader picture: decades of economic marginalization and societal scorn have trapped Christian workers in a vicious cycle. Essential workers by necessity, they are shunned and endangered simply for their faith.
Demanding swift action, the organization argues that pursuing justice for Masih tests Pakistan’s moral fabric. In a country that prides itself on inclusivity, such incidents expose gaping fault lines. Will authorities rise to the challenge, or will this become another forgotten case in the annals of minority persecution?