At least two young Christian men, Ayush Masih and Domnik Masih, were fatally shot in Balochistan, Pakistan. The incident occurred while they were playing cricket in the Shamsabad area of Mastung district. The attackers, riding motorcycles, opened fire on the group, killing the men on the spot.
The Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM) linked the attack to the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), a local branch of the Islamic State group. The VOPM highlighted the presence of ISKP in parts of Balochistan and its history of targeting minorities. The local Christian community mourned the deaths, questioning why they were being targeted and why their protection seemed inadequate.
Following the murders, community members staged a protest by placing the victims’ bodies in ambulances and blocking the Quetta–Karachi highway. The protest, which caused a traffic standstill for hours, aimed to express grief and demand action against such violence. The VOPM emphasized that the killings of Ayush and Domnik are part of a broader trend of violence against minority communities in Pakistan.
The VOPM pointed out that Christians in Pakistan face various challenges, including false blasphemy accusations, mob violence, and systematic discrimination. The organization highlighted recent incidents in Karachi and Punjab that escalated tensions into attacks on homes and families. Moreover, the VOPM condemned a recent arson attack on a Christian family’s residence in Punjab, emphasizing the ongoing concerns over the safety and equal treatment of minorities in Pakistan.
