by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE (Worthy News) – A Christian teenager was shot and killed in Pakistan’s volatile Punjab Province on Wednesday shortly after another person died when a truck rammed into a crowd of roughly 200 Christians, sources told Worthy News.
The incidents occurred in different parts of Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province bordering India, where a sizable Christian minority lives.
“In Sheikhupura’s Bhattal village, 17-year-old Christian boy Daud Masih was shot dead by Muhammad Junaid,” confirmed Christian advocate Mushtaq Sardar Gill, founder of the Christian rights group LEAD Ministries.
“Police report that the suspect allegedly opened fire in public and fled the scene. Authorities have collected evidence and launched a manhunt,” he added.
SHOOTING AND DEADLY INCIDENT
Preliminary investigations suggest the killing may be linked to a personal dispute, though the exact motive remains under inquiry. Video footage obtained by Worthy News showed a crying man inside a mortuary with a crowd mourning outside.
The shooting has spread fear among local Christian residents, activists said.
The incident came shortly after a deadly accident during an Easter procession near Mariamabad, a well-known Christian pilgrimage center.
In nearby Wazirabad, a loader truck rammed into a crowd of approximately 200 Christians on Ali Pur Road, killing one person and injuring more than 60, many critically.
Eyewitnesses alleged the crash was deliberate, though officials said investigations are ongoing. The driver fled, while another individual was taken into custody.
ABDUCTION AND THREATS
Separately, in Faisalabad, 17-year-old Christian girl Iman, daughter of Latif, has been missing since April 7 from the Islamia College area on Kotwali Road in the city.
Her family alleges she was abducted with the intent of forced marriage and religious conversion. Police said search efforts are ongoing.
Worthy News withheld full identities in this case, as in the previous case, because it may involve sexual abuse and it was not clear whether the victim consented to the disclosure of those details.
In Harappa, part of the Sahiwal region in Punjab, a 20-year-old Christian woman identified as Laiba was reportedly threatened at gunpoint by Muhammad Rehman to convert to Islam and marry him by April 15, 2026.
Police registered a case and arrested the main suspect, while the victim’s family has called for protection and further arrests.
Worthy News also withheld full identities in this case, as in the previous case, because it may involve sexual abuse and it was not clear whether the victim consented to the disclosure of those details.
RISING FEARS AMONG CHRISTIANS
Christian leaders say the incidents reflect a broader pattern of violence, threats, and intimidation targeting minority communities.
Pastor Imran Amanat of LEAD Ministries condemned the killings, abductions, and forced conversions, while Gill urged the international community to pray for Pakistan’s Christian community.
Pakistan ranks among the countries where Christians face severe persecution, placed high on the annual Open Doors World Watch List due to factors including blasphemy laws, forced conversions, and societal discrimination.
Christians make up a small minority—about 2 percent of Pakistan’s population of more than 240 million people—and are often among the most vulnerable groups.
Human rights advocates say there has been a rise in threats, abductions, and forced conversions, particularly targeting Christian youth and women, prompting protests and calls for stronger protections.
Organizations monitoring religious freedom have urged authorities to ensure impartial investigations, accountability, and full protection for vulnerable citizens, including Christians.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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