Catholic Pilgrims Targeted by Muslims in Deadly Ambush
A group of Catholic pilgrims in Pakistan was attacked by a group of Muslim men on Sunday, resulting in the death of one man and injuries to another. The incident occurred in Punjab Province as the group was en route to a shrine for the Feast of the Nativity of Mary.
According to Morningstar News, the pilgrims were traveling by van when they were confronted by three young men on motorcycles. Aurangzeb Peter, a member of the group, said the attackers began harassing the women in the vehicle, making inappropriate comments and obstructing the van’s path on the Sheikhupura highway around 1:30 a.m.
When Afzal Masih, one of the passengers, confronted the men and asked them to stop, the situation escalated. The attackers forced the van to stop, pulled Masih out onto the road, and began beating him. Peter said that when other passengers tried to intervene, they were also assaulted.
The attackers reportedly used derogatory slurs targeting the group’s Christian faith. Although they eventually allowed the van to leave, the group was again confronted at a nearby gas station, this time with firearms. Masih was shot in the neck and died at the scene. Another passenger, Harris Masih, was injured in the arm.
Afzal Masih, a 42-year-old Catholic and father of four, was killed, and a teenager injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a van carrying 18 pilgrims to Pakistan’s largest Marian shrine near Lahore on September 7, 2025.#shalomworldnews #Catholic #pilgrim #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/3LnBaqcw1s
— Shalom World News (@shalomworldnews) September 8, 2025
Christian lawyer Kashif Nemat, who leads the Good Samaritan Society for Development and Rehabilitation, described the attack as religiously motivated.
“The van was clearly marked with signs and posters related to the pilgrimage, making their Christian identity visible,” Nemat said. “Afzal Masih was killed simply for standing up to harassment and for being Christian.”
Pastor Imran Amanat of LEAD Ministries Pakistan echoed this sentiment, saying the incident reflects a disturbing trend.
“This is not an isolated crime,” Amanat said in comments to the Pakistan Christian Post. “It shows a growing pattern of hatred toward peaceful Christians who are exercising their constitutional right to religious freedom.”
Human rights lawyer Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of LEAD Ministries, has called on the government to take immediate action.
“We demand justice for Afzal Masih’s family and protection for Christians across Pakistan — particularly during religious events like the Mariamabad pilgrimage,” Gill stated.
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