A Christian worker in Pakistan’s Punjab province was reportedly tortured to death by his Muslim employers, who then staged the scene to look like a suicide by hanging. The victim, Marcus Masih, had been working at a cattle farm for five years. His brother, Dilshad Masih, received a call informing him that Marcus had hanged himself in a cattle shed.
The family became suspicious when they noticed severe bruises and burn marks on Marcus’s body after a post-mortem examination. They realized he had been tortured. Following the incident, Christians protested by placing the body on a highway, demanding a criminal case be filed. Police eventually registered a First Information Report (FIR) in response to the incident.
Asher Adeel, a human rights advocate, condemned the killing and called for an impartial investigation. He highlighted the visible injuries on Marcus’s body as evidence of severe torture. The family is seeking legal assistance and urging authorities to conduct a transparent inquiry to uncover the truth and ensure justice for Marcus.
The incident sheds light on the challenges faced by religious minorities in rural Pakistan, especially the vulnerable position of impoverished Christians working in low-paid sectors under influential landowners.
