Armed Muslim youth attack Christian youth in Sheikhupura
Pakistan Christian Post
Pakistan: September 13, 2013. (PCP) Muslim youth equipped with arms attacked Christian youth in vicinity of Gloria Colony in city of Skeikhupura, in Punjab province of Pakistan on September 09, 2013 at 5:30 pm whena Christian youth named Nadeem returned home along with some supplies for family. As he entered in to his house he attacked by Farooq Baloch, Naeem Baloch, Umer Baloch, Sadaqat Baloch, and Umair Baloch. They were armed with deadly weapons and started beating him severely. One of them hit on Nadeem’s head with an axe, it started bleeding.
Mohallah Farooq Nagar is a small part of Gloria Colony Sheikhupura (Christian Colony), populated with Christians since decades. Mohallah Fraooq Nagar was established by Christians around in 2000 where a few Muslim families residing among Christians. Christians are well educated and have good earning through good jobs. Most of them have their own small business that is the reason the Muslims are jealous of them and always tried to create problems for Christians in their work.
For support, the Christians of Sheikhupura informed CLAAS, on which On September 11, 2013 CLAAS team was informed through a telephone call by Waseem Masih about an attack of Muslim youngsters on Christian youth Mohallah Farooq Nagar Sheikhupura and required immediate legal help in this regard.
Following the information (same day) CLAAS team consisting on Mr. Asher Sarfraz Field Officer, Mr. Zeshan Zafar from Legal Department and Mr. John Paul Driver along with Mr. Javad Marten and Mr. Saleem Gabrel (human rights activists) immediately reached at the place at 1:00 p.m to find out the real facts behind the incident. The team met with Waseem Masih s/o Saleem Masih aged 27 resident of Mohallah Farooq Nagar St. 9 adjacent to Gloria colony Sheikhupura. Waseem leaded the team to his home to meet with his brothers Nadeem Masih, Aneel Masih, other family members and his friend Jamil Masih s/o Ashraf Masih (the victims).
Area Background:
Mohallah Farooq Nagar is a small part of Gloria Colony Sheikhupura (Christian Colony), populated with Christians since decades. Mohallah Fraooq Nagar was established by Christians around in 2000 where a few Muslim families residing among Christians. Christians are well educated and have good earning through good jobs. Most of them have their own small business that is the reason the Muslims are jealous of them and always tried to create problems for Christians in their work.
The incident:
Nadeem Masih aged 24 (a younger brother of Mr. Waseem Masih) informed the team, that on September 09, 2013 at 5:30 pm he returned home along with some supplies for family. As he entered in to his house he attacked by Farooq Baloch, Naeem Baloch, Umer Baloch, Sadaqat Baloch, and Umair Baloch. They were armed with deadly weapons and started beating him severely. One of them hit on Nadeem’s head with an axe, it started bleeding. Due to the severe injury he fell down on the floor, when Nadeem’s mother saw him bleeding in the head she rushed towards him.
She was crying and tried to save his son but the attackers started misbehaving to her and did not allow her to see her son. One of them severely bites in to her body with teeth which was too much painful for her. Because of her mother and other family’s cries people from the neighbors gathered there but when they saw that the attackers were armed with weapons they could not interfere.
Later the attackers started shouting and reminded Nadeem and his family that they burnt down their ware-house and catering material in 2011, just to give them a lesson but still you could not understand. If you want to save your lives and family you must have to close your business and stop showing well being because you are Christian and the Christians are only cleaners and poor. The neighbors were helpless to save Nadeem as it was bleeding in his head injury and they wanted to take him to hospital immediately. Meanwhile someone from the neighbors made a phone call to mobile police and informed about the incident. Police reached at the spot on time and when the attackers heard the siren of police van they immediately escaped while opening fires in the air. Then they were able to take Nadeem to the hospital for medical treatment.
The very next day on September 10, 2013 Nadeem and Waseem went to B-Division police station for the registration of case FIR against the attackers which was registered on the case FIR number 628/13 offense under section 148/149 PPC and 377/452 A2, F1, L2 against Farooq Baloch, Naeem Baloch, Umer Baloch, Sadaqat Baloch, and Umair Baloch the residents of the same locality Mohalla Farooq Nagar Sheikhupura.
After registration of the case FIR police did not cooperated with the victims and did not take any legal action for the arrest of culprits. Therefore on September 11, 2013 the nominated Baloch again attacked Jamil Masih s/o Ashraf Masih, a friend of Nadeem Masih and also work with Waseem in his catering business.
At 9:30 am Jamil Masih was on the way to his home when he was attacked by Balochs on the main road. They severely beat him, tortured mentally and threatened for life. They torn his clothes and warned him to take the legal case back. After severe beating they left him on the road with injuries, and some unknown travelers helped him to come back to home. Jamil informed Waseem about the attack of Farooq Baloch, Naeem Baloch, Omer Baloch, Sadaqat Baloch, and Umair Baloch and also that they threatened him to stop business as they are Christians and they cannot be well established. Waseem and Jamil
again went to the police station to report the matter to the police and gave an application to take legal action against Balochs.
Statement of Waseem Masih:
Waseem Masih informed the team that he has his own business as he provides catering services and his company name is “five stars catering” in the main city of Sheikhupura near the cricket stadium. He said that he has invested about Rs.5 00, 000 for this business. Soon after he started this business he got fame due to his honesty and good supplies and he is earning good.
There is a group of Baloch Muslims in the same locality Mohallah Farooq Nagar Sheikhupura who are jealousy of Waseem as he is a Christian and doing a good business in the market. Since he started business he along with his family facing hurdles and problems created by these Muslims.
Waseem further said that, he took a house on rent in street number 8 near his residence as he wanted to use this house as were-house to put his catering material. There were two men namely Saleem Masih s/o Saraj Masih and Aneel Masih s/o Saleem Masih (Waseem’s younger brother) as watchman to look after the were-house.
He further said that on August 13, 2011 someone burnt the were-house in the midnight at about 2 am. The neighbors started shouting and informed Waseem about the fire in their were-house. He rushed towards the house where he found Saleem and Aneel safe. They informed Waseem that they saw few men running but they could not recognize them.
On August 14, 2011 at about 3:50 pm Waseem along with Saleem and Aneel went to the police station B-Division Sheikhupura to report the matter and te get registered a case FIR 826/11 offense under section 436 PPC against unknown. In the FIR text he mentioned that the accused used Bottle bomb to give fire to the house. As they found a bottle of Kerosene oil wrapped with a piece of cloth, which was thrown inside the house to give fire to burn the wear-house. Everything in the house turned in to ashes apart from steel crockery and he has the loss of about Rs. 28, 00,000.
Waseem requested the team for legal assistance as they are facing problems on daily bases and life threats by the Baloch Muslims. He said that police is not taking any action against the culprits as it is clear now that they were the people who burnt his were-house and attacked on Nadeem and Jamil physically but the attitude of police is polite to them and police is not interested in their arrest.
He also showed his concern that Balochs attached Jamil after the registration of case FIR and pressurized him by severe torture to take the complaint back or withdraw. He said that it is comprehension that if the police will further delay in arresting the culprits they can harm them again and may be they will face a great loss of lives beside the material things.
Police station visit:
CLAAS team along with Waseem, Nadeem, Saleem and Jamil went to the District Police Officer’s (DPO) office to meet him regarding the said case but DPO was not in the office then the team went to the concerned police station B-Division Sheikhupura to meet the Investigation Officer (I O) of the registered case Team met with Mr. Faisal Abbas Station House Officer (SHO) and inquired about the police investigation in the case of Nadeem and Jamil. Mr. Faisal Abbas informed the team that the I O was not present but he assured that he has ordered for the arrest to culprits as soon as possible. The SHO also said that he will personally see the matter and the justice would be provided to the victims.
