On Thursday (March 27), a Pakistani judge sentenced a Muslim to death for murdering a 20-year-old Christian in front of his family, sources said.
Saima Riyasat, Additional Session Judge of Pasrur in Sialkot District handed Muhammadzbaia the country’s biggest punishment for murder for murder on November 9, 2023, Christian lawyer Lazar Allah Rakha said. The court also fined Pakistani rupee (USD 1,785), he said.
“The prisoners were enhanced criminals and were already involved in some cases of their heinous nature,” Raka told Christian Daily International Morning Star News. “However, he was able to escape punishment every time due to his family’s political influence and criminal history. He encouraged him to the extent that he began targeting Christian residents without fear of punishment.”
The lawyer praised the victim’s father, Noor ul Kamaar, for enrolling in the four-year medical technician program and for staying firmly in his son’s pursuit of justice, who was excited to become a medical professional.
“The families face great pressure and threats to reach reconciliation from the prisoners’ families, but they have shown exemplary courage and patience, and today God served them with justice,” Rakha said. “The punishment given to Zubair should serve as an example in violent crimes in marginalized communities, especially those targeting Christians.”
On the night of the murder, Zubaiah showed hatred towards Christians and Jews, and when he angered them before killing Fahan ul Kamar, the family said he was mistakenly referring to his family as Jews.
Raka also expressed her gratitude for the support expanded by legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International.
Ul Qamar and his wife shed tears when the judge announced the verdict, Ul Qamar said.
“We cannot express the pain and pain that our wife, me, and our three children suffer. “From the beginning of the trial, we have been looking to the Lord Jesus Christ and remained entrenched in our faith that he gives us justice. Today, when the murderer was finally convicted, we felt in our hearts that Fahan’s soul would rest in eternal peace.”
Ul Qamar said Zubair’s family used various tactics to repeatedly intimidate them and harass them to reach a “compromise” with them.
“Our struggle was to not only obtain Fahan’s justice, but also ensure that other Christians in our area would not suffer from the hands of such religiously blessed criminals,” Ul-Kamar said.
Zubair began to cast threats as soon as the verdict was announced, and began killing slur at them, he said.
“Even when he was being brought back from court, he cried out that they would not let Christians live in the peace in the area,” Ul Comer told Christian Daily International Morning Star News. “There were a lot of people from his side, both inside and outside the courtroom, and we are grateful to the police.
He said four officers will remain deployed in the family home.
Among the 20-25 Christian families in Pasurur Tesil, Talwandi Inayat Khan village in Siarkot district of Punjab, Uru Kamar’s family lives in the area due to a generation that often faces religious prejudice and discrimination.
Zubair has the right to appeal the judgment, but it can take two to three years for a high court hearing appeal to be set up, Rakha said.
“During this time, the prisoners’ families will do their best to put pressure on Kamar’s family to relentlessly resent the accused.
Tehmina Arora, Asian advocacy director at ADF International, said Ul Qamar’s cold-blooded murder is a reminder of the vulnerability of Christians in Pakistan.
“The Pakistani government has been able to ensure rapid prosecution and justice for Christians attacked in their homes and churches over the years, which encourages mobs and individuals.
However, this case is a good example of justice being managed through merit when police are professionally responsible and assisting in prosecution in effectively establishing a crime.
“It is essential that the Pakistani government takes steps to ensure protection of religious minorities, and no one is being targeted because of their faith,” she said.
Pakistan ranked 8th on the 2025 World Watchlist, where it’s the hardest place to become a Christian.
