Police in Pakistan have arrested the wife of a Presbyterian pastor and her alleged Muslim accomplice in connection with the killing of the church leader earlier this month, sources said.
In a case that initially raised fears of a religiously motivated killing, the Rev. Kamran Salamat, 45, was shot dead on Dec. 5 outside his home in Gujranwala, Punjab Province, as he was about to take his 16-year-old daughter to college. Two men on a motorcycle opened fire, striking him in the wrist, ear and lower abdomen, according to police. He was rushed to hospital but died three hours later.
Pastor Salamat, a father of three, had previously survived a gun attack in Islamabad in September that left him with a serious leg injury. Early speculation linked the Dec. 5 killing to his pastoral work or disputes related to church property. A police investigation, however, has now concluded that the murder was allegedly planned by Pastor Salamat’s wife, Salmina Kamran, in collaboration with Gujranwala-based businessman Najam Ul Saqib, according to police sources.
“The investigation revealed that Salmina Kamran was in a relationship with the co-accused, Najam Ul Saqib, and that the two allegedly conspired to murder Rev. Salamat,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Police allege that Saqib hired two contract killers from Mingora, in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, and paid them approximately 3.3 million Pakistani rupees (about $11,800) to carry out the attack. The pastor’s wife had then planned to seek asylum in the United States on religious persecution grounds on the basis of her husband’s murder, hoping that Saquib could join her there, according to police.
The pastor’s killing, which occurred in daylight just weeks before Christmas, sent shockwaves through Pakistan’s Christian community. Many initially feared it was another targeted attack on a religious minority in a country where Christians make up less than 2 percent of the population.
Pastot Salamat was known for missionary outreach in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and for leading a church congregation in Islamabad. Some church members and family acquaintances initially believed his work among Muslim communities or a past dispute over church land may have been linked to his death.
Those concerns were amplified after international media and Christian social media users framed the killing as potentially religiously motivated, prompting police to designate the case a high-priority investigation.
According to the police source, further interrogation uncovered details of the alleged plot. Investigators say Saqib arranged for two men identified as Shoaib and Ikraam to travel to Gujranwala on Dec. 1 and conduct surveillance on Pastor Salamat for several days before carrying out the shooting.
Police claim Saqib’s arrest led to the exposure of Salmina Kamran’s alleged role in planning the attack. She and Saqib are in police custody.
The two suspected gunmen were arrested but were killed allegedly by police on Dec. 19 during what authorities described as a failed rescue attempt by accomplices transporting them. Human rights groups and legal observers in Punjab have repeatedly raised concerns about claims of suspects being killed by authorities during alleged rescue attempts, noting that such incidents are frequently reported in similar terms.
In recent months, Punjab police reported nearly 2,000 alleged criminals have been killed during an aggressive crackdown on organized crime. Authorities deny allegations of extrajudicial killings.
The victim’s younger brother, Arsalan Salamat, confirmed that police had informed the family of the investigation’s findings and the arrest of Salmina Kamran.
“We are speechless,” he told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “We are in deep shock and pain.”
Arsalan Salamat declined to comment directly on the allegations against his sister-in-law. He described his brother as a devoted husband and father.
“My brother was loyal to his family and took great care of them,” he said. “We want justice, and we appreciate the police for uncovering the facts and pursuing this case seriously.”
Following the September shooting in Islamabad, Pastor Salamat had moved his family to Gujranwala, citing security concerns. He later established a sewing center aimed at helping impoverished Christian women earn an income. After partially recovering from his injuries, he resumed weekly travel to Islamabad to lead Sunday church services.
Pakistan, whose population is more than 96 percent Muslim, ranked eighth on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
