Pakistani Muslim landowners accused of accusing Christian workers of shaving their heads and faces, blackening their faces, and parading him behind the donkeys on suspicion of stealing wood from their property, his brother said.
At least seven Muslims attacked Wasif George, 34, of Chak Chak Chak Jumra, a village in Faisalabad district, Punjab, on the assumption that poor Catholics in Pakistan have little chance of gaining legal defense.
Wasif George then plunged into depression and told his family he wanted to end his life, his brother said.
“If he actually committed the wrong thing, the landowner could have arrested him under the law and had him be prosecuted,” Patras George told Christian Daily International Morning Star News. “However, they instead used this as an opportunity to spread the fear into the village.
Wasif George, his brother said, had just returned home from work as a day’s worker when his mother asked him to get a tree to prepare dinner. Among those who attacked were Jeaneid Javed, Tetar ul Hak, Jahanzeb Javed and Naiem Salem, Patras George said.
“My brother was gathering wood along the banks of the canal when the assailants came there and condemned theft,” he said. “They dragged Wasif to a poultry farm owned by Jeanede Javed, where they tortured him, as well as shaved the hair on his head and face by the barber, Razak.”
He said the assailant turned his face dark, letting him sit on his asses and paraded him in the village.
“The whole village lined up on the streets and witnessed the inhumane treatment of encountering his brother,” he said. “No one had the courage to stop the persecutors because they waved their guns around and threatened to shoot anyone who dared to rescue Christians.”
The assailants warned the villagers against recording videos of the abuse, and no one took away their phones, he said.
Patras George said he went to bed early that night because he wasn’t feeling well and when his relatives arrived he turned off the ringer on his phone and asked his wife to wake him up.
“When I heard my brother what was going on, I was shocked,” he said. “I started running towards the centre of the village, and during that time I called out to help the police helpline.”
When he arrives, he finds his brother surrounded by villagers, and the assailant flees.
“I can’t explain the pain of seeing my brother in that state,” Patras George sobed. “He was just standing there, his head hanging low and hanging, his eyes glowing with the pain of his soul shattered by the weight of his humiliation.”
He said he was constantly left by his side, fearing that Wasif George’s wife and other family members would hurt him.
“Wasif committed suicide after this public humiliation, as the weight of public shame broke the man inside him,” he said.
Patras George said the police team finally arrived.
“After learning what happened, they went to the assailant’s house, but only the barber and the owner of the poultry farm, custody,” he said. “None of our main accused was arrested despite our pleas.”
He said the accused is an influential landowner with a criminal history and has friendly ties with local police.
“The police have registered their first information report (FIR), but the accused got bail before their arrest and are now pressured to settle with them,” he said. “The police bias is evident from the fact that it has been a week since the case was registered, but we have never been called to the police station to record our statement.”
He said that about 25-30 Christian families live in the village, and that workers of all positions stand up against the powerful Muslim landlords, their Christian faith is also a reason to deny them justice.
“None of our Christian religious or political leaders have expressed concern about our light,” Patras George said. “They are busy chasing money and titles and have no interest in fighting for our rights and justice.”
Pakistan Masiha Mirat Party Chairman Aslam Sahotra told the Christian Daily International Morning Star News that they are standing by the George family and are continuing their efforts to bring justice.
“The humiliation that Wasif suffers is more than general embarrassment, the destruction of his Christian identity and the destruction of his sense of self,” Sahotra said.
He regrets the villagers’ silence regarding the attack, and says their fears encouraged the attackers to target those who were immunized.
“The inaction of the police also amplifies the hurdles to justice for the vulnerable and marginalized people in Pakistan,” he said. “The Punjab Chief Minister and police officers must be aware of this wilderness and support the victims’ families in search of justice and just punishment for the perpetrators of this heinous crime.”
Pakistan ranked 8th on the 2025 World Watchlist, where it’s the hardest place to become a Christian.
