Muslims in Pakistan accused of gang-raping a Christian girl attacked the victims’ relatives on Sunday (April 12) in an attempt to coerce the family to drop sexual assault charges, sources said.
The group injured two Catholic young men and later set fire to their home in Chak 437-GB village, Tehsil Samundri in the Faisalabad Division of Punjab Province, according to a police complaint filed on Monday (April 13).
Arshad Masih alleged that Zaman Shafique, along with five to six accomplices, assaulted his relatives Faisal Masih and Naveed Masih on Sunday (April 12), leaving them injured, according to the First Information Report (FIR). Masih stated that later at about midnight, the assailants returned and set fire to a thatched section of the family’s home.
The police complaint linked the attack to an ongoing criminal case registered last year over the gang-rape of a 14-year-old Christian girl, a cousin of the young men assaulted. Shafique and the suspects in the sexual assault case had been attempting to coerce the family to settle out of court, according to the FIR.
“My paternal uncle, Riaz Masih, had registered a case against Zaman Shafique and others for the gang-rape of his daughter,” Masih stated in the complaint registered with Samundri Saddar Police. “The accused had been using various pressure tactics to force us into reconciliation. When we refused, they attacked my cousins and later set fire to part of our house.”
Masih could not be reached for additional comment. A church official corroborated Masih’s account, describing a pattern of intimidation in the months following the filing of the rape case. The Rev. Khalil Maqsood, parish priest of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in the village, said the suspects had repeatedly pressured the victim’s family to withdraw the sexual assault case.
“There are about 30 Christian families in this village, and the accused had publicly threatened that Christian homes would be burned if the victim’s family did not agree to a settlement,” Maqsood told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
He added that neighbors intervened during Sunday’s assault and helped rescue the injured young men, but the attackers returned later that night to carry out the arson.
Police responded after residents alerted them and registered a case, but none of the suspects has been arrested, as they have fled the area, Maqsood said.
Katherine Sapna, executive director of Christians’ True Spirit, a rights organization providing legal assistance to the Catholic family, said her group had also faced intimidation.
“The accused have repeatedly tried to pressure us into withdrawing legal support for the family,” Sapna told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “They issued threats over the phone and even came to our office on multiple occasions to intimidate us. We made it clear that we will not yield to such tactics.”
Sapna noted that the fire caused property damage but no fatalities. She said the attack is indicative of broader challenges faced by religious minorities seeking justice in Pakistan.
“This incident underscores the social pressure, insecurity and legal obstacles that many Christian families encounter when pursuing cases involving serious crimes,” she said. “While we appreciate the police response in registering the FIR, it is critical that the authorities follow through with arrests and ensure accountability.”
Human rights advocates have long raised concerns about the vulnerability of minority communities in Pakistan, particularly in cases involving sexual violence, forced conversions and blasphemy allegations. Victims and their families often face intimidation aimed at forcing informal settlements outside the legal system.
In its 2026 World Watch List, Christian support group Open Doors ranked Pakistan eighth among countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. The report cited factors including systemic discrimination, mob violence, forced conversions and gaps in law enforcement as contributing to the risks faced by minority communities in Pakistan.
