Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Pakistan Christian Recovering Of Throat Slitting For ‘Blasphemy’
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
SHEIKHUPURA, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – A young Christian worker is in critical condition after he was reportedly attacked at his factory in Pakistan’s Punjab province for alleged “blasphemy against Islam.”
Waqas Masih, 22, was still in hospital Monday after a Muslim colleague at the Subhan Allah Paper Mills in the Sharaqpur Sharif area of Punjab’s Sheikhupura District slashed his throat, Christians told Worthy News.
A photo shared with Worthy News showed him connected to an infusion pump, his neck and parts of his arm bandaged.
Friday’s attack happened over allegations that he had committed blasphemy by touching an Islamic textbook “with unclean hands,” Christians said. An eyewitness said, “Waqas collapsed, drenched in blood, with severe injuries to his neck.”
His father, Riyasat Masih, explained in published remarks that the factory’s shift in-charge attacked his son “with a cutter blade, slashing his jugular vein.”
The suspect, who was publicly identified as Zohaib Iftikhar, did not immediately react.
Masih, a member of the Brethren Church and father of six, added that his son “courageously fought back the assailant despite blood gushing out of his throat.”
RUSHED TO HOSPITAL
Mill management rushed Waqas Masih to a nearby hospital for “emergency treatment” that saved his life. They reportedly handed him over to the police.
Masih was later transferred to Mayo Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city, where he underwent surgery and was recovering, Worthy News learned.
In comments shared with Worthy News, Waqas’s father asserted “that the attack appeared premeditated” as the Muslim coworker “had frequently instigated arguments over trivial matters” in the days preceding the incident.
Sources told Worthy News that just one day earlier, on March 20, the two had reportedly quarreled over a minor work-related issue.
“The situation escalated when Zohaib accused Waqas of tearing pages from an Arabic textbook on Islamic Studies—a blasphemy accusation that carries severe legal consequences in Pakistan,” said Sardar Mushtaq Gill, the founder of advocacy group LEAD Ministries.
Although initially unable to speak due to his injuries, Waqas regained partial consciousness and requested to confirm the incident in a handwritten statement, Worthy News established.
“The family has categorically denied the allegation, calling it fabricated and malicious,” Gill stressed, adding that Waqas is the eldest of six siblings living in the Sheikhupura District.
CONTRACT WORKER
“He had been working as a contractor in the cardboard packaging department at Subhan Allah Paper Mills for the past six months,” Gill recalled.
“His mother, Bushra Riyasat, has been employed at a private school in Sheikhupura for nearly a decade. Both father and son had worked together in various paper mills to support their family,” Gill explained.
The attack comes at a time of concerns about attacks against Christians on blasphemy charges in the Islamic country.
“It is our shared responsibility to ensure that such acts of violence are not tolerated and the perpetrators are held accountable,” Gill remarked. “No individual should have to live in fear for their beliefs,” LEAD added.
Pastor Imran Amanat, a prominent leader within LEAD Ministries, called “for prayers for Waqas’s recovery and all those subjected to religious persecution.”
He stressed “the importance of unity among compassionate citizens to confront and challenge intolerance in all its forms.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
European policymakers, church leaders and representatives of Syria’s Christian communities have urged the country’s transitional authorities to protect minority Christians amid concerns over the future of believers in the war-torn Middle East nation.
A reported Houthi attack has struck Saudi Arabia’s strategically vital East-West oil pipeline, the massive cross-country system designed to keep Saudi crude flowing even when the Strait of Hormuz is threatened or closed.
Spanish-Moroccan relations, already strained over migration, faced more pressure Friday after Spain’s lower house of parliament approved legislation that would grant Spanish citizenship to tens of thousands of Sahrawis born when Madrid administered Western Sahara.
Russia launched fresh air attacks on Ukraine early Friday after NATO reportedly confronted Russian vessels trying to sabotage undersea cables, highlighting concerns that Moscow is attempting to extend the war by targeting Europe’s critical infrastructure.
Iran-backed Houthi forces seized Yemen’s strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha, raising fears for global shipping as escalating Middle East tensions pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel.
The United States and its allies are commemorating the 25th anniversary of the worst terror attacks on American soil, which had worldwide implications ranging from wars to increased surveillance.
Several impoverished Christians have died across Pakistan in recent days amid what advocates describe as a pattern of violence, discrimination and hardship potentially threatening the Christian community throughout the predominantly Muslim nation, Christian sources told Worthy News.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com