Church leaders in Pakistan have strongly condemned the suspicious death of Marqas Masih, a 22-year-old Christian youth whose body was found hanging at a farmhouse in Sargodha, about 240 kilometers south of Islamabad.
In a March 10 statement, Archbishop Joseph Arshad, president of the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) and bishop of the Islamabad-Rawalpindi Diocese, called on authorities to conduct a full investigation and ensure justice for the victim’s family.
“I strongly condemn this brutal and suspicious murder of a Christian youth,” Archbishop Arshad said. “The marks of torture visible on his body suggest that the killing was staged as a suicide after he was tortured and killed.”
The archbishop said the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (PCBC) stands with the victim’s family and the Christian community in rejecting the official claim that Masih died by suicide.
Archbishop Arshad also offered prayers for the grieving family and called for the protection of vulnerable communities. “We hope for a tolerant and peaceful society where such incidents do not take place again and where justice is provided equally to all,” he said.
Allegations of torture and murder
According to Advocate Tahir Naveed Chaudry, the lawyer representing Masih’s family, the young man was allegedly tortured and killed by two landlords, Muhammad Mohsin and Muhammad Basharat, before his body was hung to make the death appear as suicide.
“The landlords, after killing Marqas Masih, hanged him to portray the murder as suicide,” Chaudry told local media.
He said the family discovered injuries while preparing the body for burial. These reportedly included bruises, burn marks, peeled skin, and other wounds.
The discovery triggered protests by relatives and community members, who blocked the Lahore–Sargodha road while holding the victim’s body and demanded the arrest of those responsible.
Police action and legal case
Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) after a complaint was filed by the victim’s brother, Dilshad Masih.
Marqas Masih was reportedly working as a bonded laborer for the landlords. According to the family, he had been forced to work since the age of 18 because his family could not repay a loan of 270,000 Pakistani rupees (about US$970).
Political response
Filbous Christopher, a Christian member of the Punjab Provincial Assembly, also condemned the killing and called for a transparent investigation.
Speaking during the Punjab Assembly session on March 10, he submitted a notification to the Chief Minister demanding a fair inquiry.
“I am concerned about the investigation of this incident and want justice for the victim’s family,” Christopher said in a message to Radio Veritas Asia.
He said he has asked authorities to submit a report to parliament addressing questions surrounding the killing of Marqas Masih, including the police complaint filed against protestors seeking justice.
Church leaders and human rights advocates say the case highlights the vulnerability of minority communities and bonded laborers in Pakistan, and they continue to urge authorities to ensure accountability
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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