Source: www.worthynews.com
Date: October 12, 2026
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
SHEIKHUPURA, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – Dozens of Christian families have reportedly fled their village in Pakistan’s Punjab province after a Muslim mob set fire to the home and pharmacy of a Christian father of three accused of blasphemy, religious freedom advocates confirmed Saturday.
Farooq Bashir, general secretary of Christian Lawyers Alliance Pakistan, told Worthy News that the violence erupted Friday in Gharial Kalan village, near Narang Mandi in Sheikhupura district, after police arrested Kamran Masih, a 40-year-old Christian father of three.
Masih, who operated a small pharmacy, was reportedly detained at approximately 9:30 p.m. local time Thursday, October 8, over allegations that he shared a video perceived as blasphemous on social media.
Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of the Christian advocacy group LEAD Ministries, explained to Worthy News that hundreds of people gathered near a local mosque following Friday prayers before targeting Masih’s home and business, despite knowing that he was already in police custody.
MOB ATTACK
Video footage obtained by Worthy News showed a large crowd of men gathering along a street, while others stood outside a building with metal shutters where flames were visible through an opening. Several onlookers appeared to be filming the scene as others could be heard shouting. The footage does not establish who started the fire.
“An allegation against one individual must never become a justification for endangering an entire community,” Gill told Worthy News.
Following the violence, at least 35 Christian families reportedly fled their homes amid fears of further attacks, while Masih’s wife, children and other relatives faced uncertainty about their safety.
Police reportedly intervened to prevent the violence from spreading to other Christian properties and deployed additional officers to protect residents.
CHRISTIAN FAMILIES FLEE
Christian lawmaker Ejaz Alam Augustine said more than 15 people suspected of involvement in the arson had been arrested.
However, Bashir urged authorities to ensure the safe return of Christian families, assess damage to their homes and livelihoods, and hold those responsible for the violence accountable.
“An allegation, however serious, is not proof of guilt,” Bashir stressed, referring to the accusations against Masih.
The incident follows other reported cases in Pakistan, an Islamic nation where blasphemy allegations have repeatedly triggered threats against Christian communities.
BLASPHEMY ACCUSATIONS
In July, more than two dozen Christian families reportedly fled Jhulan village in Punjab following allegations involving social media videos posted by a pastor living in the United States.
That same month, Christian families in Karachi reportedly remained trapped inside their homes as hundreds of protesters gathered following allegations involving a desecrated page of the Quran.
Gill renewed his call for the repeal of Sections 295-B and 295-C of Pakistan’s Penal Code, which prescribe life imprisonment for desecrating the Quran and the death penalty for derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad, respectively.
The latest violence also comes days after Pakistan’s Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Christian man Qaiser Ayub in a separate case involving alleged blasphemous online content, while acquitting his brother Amoon for lack of evidence.
PAKISTAN BLASPHEMY LAWS
Bashir said Pakistan’s constitutional protections, including the rights to life, dignity, religious freedom and a fair trial, must apply equally to Christians and other religious minorities.
He urged the Punjab government and law enforcement authorities to prevent further attacks and ensure that blasphemy allegations are investigated through lawful procedures rather than mob violence.
LEAD Ministries also called on the United Nations, foreign governments and international human rights organizations to increase pressure on Pakistan to protect religious minorities.
For Christians who fled Gharial Kalan, the immediate concern remained whether they could safely return to their homes and resume their lives.
INTERNATIONAL CONCERN
Pakistan ranks eighth on the 2026 World Watch List published by Christian advocacy organization Open Doors, placing it among the countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.
According to Pakistan’s 2023 census, about 3.3 million Christians live in the predominantly Muslim nation, accounting for 1.37 percent of its population.
However, over the years, thousands of Pakistani Christians have sought refuge abroad, including in Thailand, citing Islamic persecution and threats of violence.
Christian advocacy groups say many have faced years of uncertainty while awaiting decisions on their asylum claims.