In a devastating incident, a Christian youth was shot dead in Gujranwala by six assailants on February 5 (Monday), allegedly motivated by 'religious hatred.’
The incident unfolded when six armed men identified as Zaman Butt, Anas Yaseen, Adil Abdul Rehman, Ashraf Inayat Ullah, and others opened fire on a group of people, resulting in the tragic death of 14-year-old Sunil Masih.
According to the first information report (FIR), the assailants arrived on motorcycles. Zaman, one of the assailants, opened fire on Sunil, fatally hitting him in the chest.
Despite the family rushing Sunil to a local hospital, he succumbed to his injuries before medical treatment could commence.
George Masih, the deceased’s father, expressed profound sorrow over the loss of his son, an eighth-grade student. The entire family, including siblings, cousins, and friends, is grappling with the trauma inflicted by this shocking incident, and the healing process will undoubtedly take time, he said.
Masih emphasizes that the suspects responsible for this heinous act have not yet been apprehended. In the pursuit of justice for his son, he urges authorities to expedite the process of bringing these criminals to account.
In the same attack, Yaseen shot at another Christian boy, identified as Jamshed, with the bullet grazing him. The assailants fled the scene after issuing threats to the community and, as of now, remain at large.
Meanwhile, minority rights activist Joseph Jansen strongly condemned the killing of Sunil Masih and the broader trend of attacks on churches and individuals from religious minorities. He expressed concern over the surge in incidents of intolerance and violence under the guise of religion.
Amir Ashrif, a minority rights activist, asserted that the recent assault was driven by religious motivations, demanding strict action against the culprits.
Shamun Alfred, a Christian politician, expressed condolences to Sunil Masih's family and stressed the importance of swift justice for the victims and punishment for the perpetrators according to the law to ensure the safety and security of minorities in the country.