LAHORE, Pakistan — Police in Pakistan have declined to arrest the perpetrators in the torture death of a Catholic farm worker and, meanwhile, a Christian street sweeper was beaten, chained and left in scorching heat.
Shahid Masih, 35, died May 18, 10 days after his employers tortured him over 12 missing goats. Masih’s widow, Sonia Shahid, said the employers accused her husband and another Christian of the April goat thefts from the farm in the Bhikkhi area of Punjab Province, reports the news services Christian Daily International and Morning Star News.
She said at least seven assailants tied up her husband, beat and tortured him and forced acid into his mouth.
She added that the assailants held her family hostage to try to prevent a police report from being filed and threatened her if she should implicate them in her husband’s death.
On May 25 in the Gujjarpura area of Lahore, five Muslims beat Yasir Masih. They held him hostage, tortured and chained him to a chair for not promptly collecting garbage and sweeping at a Muslim’s doorstep when the Muslim requested, Yasir’s father-in-law, Hussain Masih, told the news services.
Pakistan is No. 7 on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian.
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