Missing and Feared Kidnapped: Kasur Family Pleads for Husband’s Safe Return Amid Rising Persecution

KOT RADHA KISHAN, Pakistan — Salmon Masih, a Christian father of four from Kechad Colony, Kot Radha Kishan, has been missing since Saturday, 7 March. He left home for work at 9 a.m. but never returned, leaving his family in deep fear and anguish. His wife has made a heartfelt appeal for his safe return, saying they do not know whether he was kidnapped or what has happened to him.

Pastor Imran Amanat, leader of LEAD Ministries, has called on both the local and international Body of Christ to lift the Masih family in prayer. “This family’s suffering is heartbreaking, and sadly, it reflects the harsh reality faced by many Christians across Pakistan, who live under constant threat, social marginalization, and violence,” he said.

LEAD Ministries documents persecution and violence against Christians in Pakistan and advocates for religious freedom, pastoral care, and community support. While the organization does not have financial resources to directly aid victims, it continues its work in church planting, women’s empowerment, and advocacy for vulnerable communities.

The disappearance of Salmon Masih highlights the ongoing vulnerability of Christians in Pakistan. Many face harassment, discrimination, and targeted attacks, often with little access to justice or protection. Pastor Amanat emphasized, “We ask believers everywhere—both here in Pakistan and across the world—to pray fervently for Salmon Masih, support his family in solidarity, and help raise awareness of the challenges faced by our persecuted brothers and sisters.”

Authorities have registered a formal missing person case (FIR), and the family continues to appeal for assistance from local authorities and the community. LEAD Ministries urges support for its ongoing work in Pakistan, including advocacy, pastoral care, church planting, and programs that empower women and protect vulnerable communities.

Salmon Masih’s family remains in deep anxiety, hoping and praying for his safe return, while the global Church is being called to unite in prayer, compassion, and action for their protection and relief.

#PrayForSalmonMasih #MissingInPakistan #ChristianPersecution #BodyOfChristUnite #PrayerForFamilies #ReligiousFreedom #StandWithChristians #LEADMinistries #PakistanChristians #GlobalChurchPray

A Community in Crisis: Thousands of Christian Families Face Eviction in Islamabad

Islamabad— Pastor Imran Amanat, leader of LEAD Ministries, has appealed to authorities to grant Christian families in Islamabad adequate time and a safe place to relocate, as thousands face sudden eviction from Sector H-9.

Authorities reportedly issued a three-day notice—announced via loudspeakers by the Capital Development Authority (CDA)—asking residents of Rimsha Colony and Akram Gill Colony to vacate their homes immediately. Nearly 25,000 people now live in fear and uncertainty, struggling to secure alternative housing, employment, and schooling for their children in such a short timeframe.

Residents insist that they are not illegal settlers. Many of these families, mostly sanitation workers and daily-wage laborers, were relocated to this area by the state in the early 2010s following security concerns after the blasphemy case involving Rimsha Masih in 2012. At the time, the relocation was presented as a protective measure. Today, they face the opposite: being asked to leave without a concrete resettlement plan.

The settlements themselves lack essential infrastructure. Residents report no proper schools, limited healthcare facilities, no hospitals, and inadequate roads and utilities. Yet, many continue to serve the city diligently through sanitation and other municipal work.

Human rights advocates warn that such evictions raise serious concerns about the treatment of religious minorities and low-income communities. The 2015 judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan emphasized the state’s responsibility to protect the dignity, security, and rights of minority minority communities. Evicting thousands of vulnerable citizens without an organized resettlement plan contradicts these obligations and threatens their basic human rights.

Pastor Imran Amanat stated:

"These families are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for time, dignity, and the basic right to live with security. Forcing them out in three days is inhumane and unjust."

For the residents of H-9, Rimsha Colony, and Akram Gill Colony, the future is uncertain. After years of living, working, and contributing to the capital, many fear they may soon be left without homes or livelihoods.

The community’s call is simple: respect, fairness, and a humane resettlement process. It is a plea not just for housing but for recognition of their rights as equal citizens of Pakistan.

#Islamabad #HumanRights #MinorityRights #ChristianCommunity #RimshaColony #GillColony #HousingRights #JusticeForMinorities #Pakistan #StopEvictions #EqualCitizenship #ReligiousFreedom

Christian Persecution Surges: Sardar Mushtaq Gill Backs USCIRF CPC Recommendation, Urges Focus on Killings, Torture, and Forced Conversions of Boys and Girls

LEAD Ministries Founder calls on the international community to highlight the brutal reality in Pakistan, where Christians face mob violence, torture, killings, blasphemy accusations, and forced conversions of girls and boys to Islam, often for marriage or coercion.

Pakistan — March 8, 2026 — Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of LEAD Ministries, has welcomed the recommendation made by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urging the United States Department of State to redesignate Pakistan as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) due to severe and ongoing violations of religious freedom.

Gill praised USCIRF for documenting the misuse of blasphemy laws, mob violence, and forced conversions affecting Christian and Hindu communities. However, he stressed that reports must also highlight the escalating violence, torture, killings, and forced conversions of boys alongside girls, which too often go underreported.

“While USCIRF’s recommendation for CPC redesignation is welcome, it is vital that the international community understands the brutal reality Christians face every day,” Gill said. “Reports must acknowledge torture, killings, forced conversions, and public humiliation, which continue to terrorize entire communities.”

Documented Violence and Killings

Gill highlighted several recent incidents demonstrating the severity of persecution against Christians:

• Zahid Morris, a 36‑year‑old Catholic from Bahawalpur, was allegedly doused with petrol and set on fire by a Muslim neighbor following a minor dispute, suffering severe burns to his face and neck.
• Waqas Masih, a 22‑year‑old Christian factory worker, was severely injured after a Muslim coworker allegedly slit his throat, accusing him of touching an Islamic textbook with “unclean hands.”
• Marqas Masih, a Christian worker employed for four years by his Muslim landlord, was reportedly tortured, burned, and hanged from a girder in an apparent attempt to stage a suicide. Local authorities are accused of facilitating the release of his body before protests forced the arrest of the accused.
• Maryam, an 11‑year‑old Christian girl in Gujranwala, was abducted and murdered by a neighbor. The brutal killing left her community shocked and grieving, underscoring the urgent need to protect children.
• Naveed Masih, a Christian sanitary worker employed at the Punjab Assembly, was found fatally shot inside the Members of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Hostel, an incident that drew widespread condemnation from civil society, human‑rights organizations, and minority advocacy groups.
• Imran Masih, a Christian laborer from Chak No. 93 RB, Chatti Jaranwala, was allegedly abducted and forced into bonded labor by a powerful brick kiln owner, leaving his wife and five young children appealing publicly for his release.

Forced Conversions of Boys and Girls

Gill stressed that underage Christian boys are also victims of forced religious conversions, alongside girls.

He cited the case of Jameel Masih, a 14‑year‑old from Sheikhupura District, who was reportedly forcibly converted to Islam and held in illegal custody by landlord Muhammad Boota Bajwa. Poverty compelled the family to send Jameel to work at the landlord’s cattle shed, and their attempts to retrieve him were met with threats and violence.

Gill also emphasized that Christian girls continue to face forced conversions and marriages, often at a young age. These cases highlight the urgent need for protective laws and their strict enforcement.

Blasphemy Laws and Collective Targeting of Christians

Gill further stressed that blasphemy laws continue to often target the Christian community as a whole, resulting in imprisonment, mob attacks, and the displacement of entire families.

“Christians continue to endure systemic discrimination, violence, and forced conversions,” Gill said. “The international community must urgently monitor these abuses and advocate for legal reforms to ensure justice, protection, and equal rights for all religious minorities.”

LEAD Ministries’ Mission

LEAD Ministries focuses on documenting cases of Christian persecution and raising awareness rather than providing financial assistance to victims. The organization collects verified reports of violence, torture, killings, and forced conversions at the grassroots level, highlighting these abuses to the international community, policymakers, and human‑rights advocates. Christians often face such persecution because of their faith and are mistreated by the majority community, frequently subjected to derogatory slurs such as “Chura” during these torture cases. LEAD Ministries’ goal is to ensure that religious minorities are recognized, their suffering is acknowledged, and systemic reforms are pursued to protect vulnerable communities.

LEAD Ministries is also a Christian faith‑based organization whose primary purpose is to protect and strengthen the Christian faith in Pakistan. The ministry carries out its mission through discipleship programs, church‑planting initiatives, pastoral care, women’s fellowships, and advocacy for religious freedom. By combining spiritual growth with community support and rights advocacy, LEAD Ministries seeks to empower Christians, uphold their faith, and ensure their voices are heard in the face of persecution.

Call for Global Action

Gill urged USCIRF and the international community to fully document and publicize these cases of killings, torture, and forced conversions. He emphasized that his recommendation to USCIRF is that accurate reporting is essential to push for legal reforms, protect vulnerable communities, and hold perpetrators accountable.

Gill called on governments, human‑rights organizations, and international legal bodies to stand with religious minorities and press for meaningful reforms that ensure justice and protection for all citizens, regardless of faith.