A church in Pindorian, Islamabad, was attacked by assailants during worship service after an alleged harassment incident that involved the church pastor’s daughter and the attackers.
According to a police report filed by the pastor of the church Younis Masih, the incident had occurred at 5:30pm on April 16, 2023.
According to the pastor’s statement, the assailants, identified as Amir and Khurram, harassed his daughter who was accompanied by his son. When his son intervened to forbid them, they assaulted the brother and sister on the road.
Later on, the men barged into the church during a prayer session, harassing the attendees, and threatening them by firing.
Earlier, a member of the Christian community, Kashif Masih, was shot dead in Banaras Abad Academy Town. Armed men had opened fire on him while he was on his way home. According to Voicepk.net, IS-K claimed responsibility for both attacks.
The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) had issued the Human Rights Observer 2023, an annual fact sheet, detailing abuses against religious minorities in Pakistan. The report covered five key issues impacting religious minorities, including discrimination in the education system, the prevalence of forced faith conversions, abuse of blasphemy laws, the establishment of the National Commission for Minorities, and jail remissions for minority prisoners.
The report noted an increase in discrimination against minorities.
