Pakistan: Presbyterian Pastor Survives Assassination Attempt in Islamabad

A Presbyterian pastor in Pakistan miraculously survived an assassination attempt on Sunday, September 21, in the Iqbal Town district of Islamabad.

According to Fides, Pastor Kamran Naz was traveling from his home in Gujranwala to Islamabad around 7:00 a.m. to lead Sunday worship. Accompanied by his mother, he reached the Iqbal Town bus stop when two young men on a motorcycle approached him. One assailant fired at the pastor, striking him in the right leg, while a second shot, aimed at his head, missed. The attackers quickly fled the scene.

Eyewitnesses rushed Pastor Naz to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences and alerted the police. Authorities registered a First Information Report (FIR) and opened an investigation.

Fides reports that Pastor Naz, who leads the Presbyterian Christian Church in Pakistan, had previously received death threats, allegedly for “proselytizing among Afghan refugees.” These threats forced him to relocate his family from Islamabad to Gujranwala for safety.

Christian and Muslim leaders alike strongly condemned the attack. “Violence, harassment, and targeted attacks against Christian leaders are deeply disturbing and unacceptable in a civilized society,” said Father Lazar Aslam, OFM Cap, a member of the Peace Committee of Pakistan, in an interview with Fides.

The Peace Committee, which unites leaders of different faiths, called on the government to guarantee justice and security for religious minorities. “It is the government’s responsibility to ensure the safety of religious minorities,” Father Aslam said, urging authorities to apprehend those responsible.

Despite the threats and violence, Father Aslam noted the steadfast hope of Christians in Pakistan: “In the face of difficulties and suffering, the Christian community continues to cling to Christ, entrusting their lives to the Lord, praying and working for peaceful coexistence.”