Pakistan: Church Voices Concern Over Acquittals in 2014 Lynching of Christian Couple

In a joint statement released on July 14, Bishop Samson Shukardin, President of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Chairperson of the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), and Fr. Bernard Emmanuel, National Director of the NCJP, have expressed deep concern over the recent Apex Court of Pakistan ruling that acquitted the final three death-row convicts in the 2014 Kot Radha Kishan case.

The statement, also signed by NCJP Executive Director Naeem Yousaf Gill, described the apex court's ruling, which cited insufficient evidence, as part of a continuing pattern that grants impunity to perpetrators of heinous crimes against religious minorities.

The Apex Court decision overturned the remaining convictions and death sentences of Irfan, Mehdi, and Riaz, and dismissed the Punjab provincial government's petition challenging the earlier acquittal of 102 other suspects implicated in the case.

The landmark case began on November 4, 2014, when Shahzad Masih and his pregnant wife, Shama Bibi, were burned alive by a charged Muslim mob at a brick-kiln factory in Kot Radha Kishan, Kasur district, Punjab, after being falsely accused of blasphemy.

The NCJP leadership highlighted that this ruling reflects a broader, historical trend in which individuals accused of violent acts against Christian communities are ultimately acquitted.

They pointed out that on August 1, 2009, a mob set fire to a Christian settlement in Gojra, killing at least ten Christians, yet all of the accused were subsequently acquitted.

Similarly, in March 2013, a mob burned down the Christian settlement of Joseph Colony in Lahore, resulting in the eventual acquittal of all 115 accused individuals due to a lack of evidence.

More recently, on June 4, 2022, Nazir Masih was beaten to death by a mob over blasphemy allegations in Sargodha without prior investigation, where hundreds of individuals arrested in connection with the incident were later declared innocent and released.

In response to the acquittals, the NCJP has called for concrete measures to protect and ensure justice for religious minorities, demanding that police personnel responsible for preparing and presenting weak prosecutions in these cases be held accountable and appropriately penalized.

Bishop Samson Shukardin concluded the statement by appealing to the Christian community to remain calm and to pray for the strength to endure these hardships while remaining steadfast in their faith.