A Muslim in Pakistan killed a Christian co-worker on Monday (June 22) after telling him he could not drink water from a cooler used by other laborers, sources said.
Local pastor and rights activist Saleem Ghouri said Siddique Masih was a Catholic father of four children. He was 40.
Masih worked as a daily-wage brick loader alongside his elder brother, Rafique Masih, at various brick kilns in Pattoki Tehsil of Kasur District, Punjab Province. The brothers had gone to Ayyan brick kiln in Gohar Chak No. 8 village to load bricks onto a truck, Ghouri said.
“According to eyewitnesses, Siddique and a Muslim laborer identified as Ahmad Varyam had a brief argument over a wage-related issue,” Ghouri told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “The dispute appeared to have been resolved after other workers intervened, and both men returned to work.”
A couple of hours later, Siddique approached a water cooler installed for laborers at the kiln.
“Witnesses said Ahmad confronted Siddique and objected to his drinking water from the same cooler because he was a Christian,” Ghouri said. “Siddique responded by comparing Ahmad’s conduct to that of Yazid, whose forces denied water to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Imam Hussain and his family before the massacre at Karbala. According to witnesses, Ahmad then pulled out a knife, grabbed Siddique from behind and slit his throat. He died at the scene.”
Police arrested the alleged assailant along with three other people, Ghouri said.
He added that the killing had devastated Siddique’s family, who depended entirely on his income.
“Siddique was the sole breadwinner for his wife and four minor children,” he said. “One of his sons suffers from thalassemia and requires regular blood transfusions every two to three weeks. The family lives in rented accommodation and was already struggling financially. His death has left them facing an uncertain future. We pray that they find strength and that justice is served.”
The victim’s brother, Rafique Masih, said he was loading bricks when the attack occurred.
“My brother had gone to drink water while I continued working,” he told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “A few minutes later, I heard shouting, and someone told me that Ahmad had attacked him with a knife. When I reached the spot, other workers had restrained the attacker, and my brother was lying on the ground, blood gushing out of his throat. I was in complete shock.”
Rafique Masih said he could not comprehend the brutality of the attack.
“Even if there had been a disagreement, nothing could justify such violence,” he said. “My brother was a devoted Christian, a loving father and a hardworking man whose only concern was providing for his family and ensuring medical treatment for his sick son. We are placing our trust in God and praying for justice.”
Rights advocates say the killing highlights the vulnerability of many religious minorities in rural Pakistan, where Christians are often concentrated in low-paid manual labor sectors and face social discrimination.
Suneel Kaleem, a representative of the Organization for Legal Aid (OLA), said the attack reflected a broader pattern of violence against minority communities in the Muslim-majority country.
“The brutality of this killing is deeply disturbing and underscores the insecurity that many religious minorities continue to face,” Kaleem told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “Authorities must ensure a thorough investigation and hold those responsible accountable. At the same time, greater efforts are needed to promote tolerance, reduce religious prejudice and encourage peaceful resolution of disputes.”
Several recent cases have raised similar concerns about violence targeting Christians in Pakistan.
In March, 21-year-old Christian farmworker Dilshad Masih was allegedly tortured to death by Muslim employers in Punjab’s Sargodha District, after which his death was staged as a suicide. In May 2025, Christian laborer Kashif Masih was allegedly tortured and killed by a group of Muslim men, including a former police officer, over an unproven theft accusation.
In another case in March 2025, Christian factory worker Waqas Masih survived a throat-slashing attack by a Muslim co-worker who accused him of blasphemy. The attacker reportedly claimed that Masih had touched an Islamic textbook with “unclean hands,” an allegation rights advocates said reflected the misuse of religious sensitivities to justify violence.
In February 2025, Christian laborer Wasif George was allegedly abducted by Muslim landowners, publicly humiliated and paraded on a donkey after being accused of stealing wood. Images and videos of the incident circulated widely on social media, prompting public condemnation.
On June 6, 2024, 18-year-old Catholic worker Waqas Salamat died after allegedly being tortured by his employer and others for leaving his job without permission. Family members said he was subjected to prolonged electric shocks that resulted in fatal injuries.
International watchdog groups continue to rank Pakistan among the world’s most difficult countries for Christians. The country placed eighth on the 2026 World Watch List published by Open Doors, which cited systemic discrimination, mob violence, forced conversions, bonded labor and gender-based abuses. The report noted that perpetrators frequently act with impunity due to weak law enforcement and societal pressures.
