A 22-year-old Christian worker was critically injured in what appears to be a religiously motivated attack at a paper mill in Sheikhupura. The victim, Waqas Masih, was reportedly assaulted by a Muslim colleague following alleged false accusations of blasphemy and pressure to convert to Islam.
Masih, a resident of Bhatti Dhalwan, Sheikhupura, had been working for the past six months as a contractor at Subhan Allah Paper Mills, located in Chak No. 16, Sharaqpur. According to his father, Riyasat Masih, Waqas was the only Christian employee at the mill and had been facing persistent pressure from colleagues to embrace Islam.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon, March 21, when Riyasat visited his son at the factory. While the two were conversing in a private room, Zohaib Iftikhar, a shift in-charge at the mill, allegedly called Waqas over under a pretext. Eyewitness accounts suggest that Zohaib questioned Waqas about his religion and whether he had accepted Islam. Upon receiving a firm refusal, he allegedly pulled out a sharp cardboard-cutting blade and slashed Waqas’s throat, aiming for the jugular.
Waqas collapsed on the spot, gravely wounded and covered in blood. His father described the scene as “horrific,” saying his son sustained deep injuries to the neck. The suspect, Zohaib, reportedly fled immediately.
Riyasat claimed that the attack was not spontaneous but the culmination of weeks of targeted hostility. “My son was regularly harassed and provoked by Zohaib over minor issues. A day before the incident, they had a disagreement over routine work,” he said.
The situation reportedly escalated after Zohaib accused Waqas of tearing pages from an Arabic textbook (Islamiyat), a charge that falls under Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws, which carry severe penalties. The family has strongly denied the allegation, calling it “fabricated and malicious.”Following the assault, Waqas was transported to Mayo Hospital in Lahore, where he remains in critical condition. Though initially unable to speak due to the injuries, he later regained partial consciousness and wrote a statement detailing the incident. In his note, Waqas claimed that Zohaib had been trying to frame him for blasphemy and had first approached him in a seemingly friendly manner before launching the attack.
“He tied his own shirt around his neck to slow the bleeding and ran before losing consciousness,” said his father. “He doesn’t even remember how he reached the hospital.”
Factory management has since registered a First Information Report (FIR) at Sharaqpur Police Station, and Zohaib has been taken into police custody. Authorities say an investigation is underway.
The case has drawn strong condemnation from human rights groups and Christian advocacy organizations.
This case highlights how blasphemy allegations are too often used as tools for harassment and violence against minority communities,” Saeed said. “We call on the government of Pakistan to ensure justice for Waqas and protection for all religious minorities.
The Masih family is calling on the government, civil society, and religious leaders to ensure justice is served. “This is not just an attack on my son—it’s an attack on humanity,” said Riyasat. “We are Pakistani citizens too. We deserve to live and work in safety.”