Afzal Masih, a devoted Catholic father of four, was murdered while travelling to a Marian pilgrimage in Mariamabad.
He was shot dead after confronting Muslim men who were harassing Christian women in his group.
Months later, his killers have been granted bail, leaving his widow and children devastated.
BACA has visited the grieving family, who now plead for justice and urgent financial support.
Shot for Defending Christian Women: The Killing of Afzal Masih
On 10th February 2026, a team from the British Asian Christian Association (BACA) visited the home of Shagufta Bibi, widow of Afzal Masih (44 yrs), to understand how the family has been surviving since his brutal murder.
Afzal Masih, a devout Catholic from Lahore, was travelling on 7th September 2025 with fellow pilgrims to the Annual Feast of the Nativity of Mary at the Marian Shrine in Mariamabad, Punjab. Among the group were young women and men filled with faith and anticipation. However, their spiritual journey turned into a nightmare near Farooqabad.
A group of Muslim men began chasing their van, taunting and harassing the young Christian women inside. Afzal, seated near the driver, bravely intervened and demanded they stop their abuse. The attackers forced the van to halt, dragged Afzal out, and beat him severely. When they noticed posters of Mother Mary and Christian crosses inside the vehicle, they hurled degrading slurs at the pilgrims, calling them “Chuhra” and humiliating them in front of the women.
Though fellow pilgrims managed to rescue Afzal and continue their journey, the ordeal was not over. At Farooqabad Bus Stop, while checking tyre pressure, the same men returned — this time armed with a Kalashnikov and pistols.
One of the assailants, later identified as Muhammad Waqas, opened fire. Afzal was struck in the neck and died instantly. His cousin, Harris Masih, was shot in the arm and survived. A father of four had been executed for defending the dignity of Christian women.
Afzal left behind his widow, Shagufta Bibi (38 yrs), and four sons: Bilal (19), Daniyal (16), Ismail (15), and Anwas (10). He had worked as a rickshaw driver and was the sole pillar of support for his family.
Today, Shagufta Bibi earns a meagre Rs. 8,000 (£21) per month working as a school sweeper. Her eldest son, Bilal, rents a rickshaw daily, earning Rs. 500–600 (£1.31–£1.57) per day to help cover household expenses—a role he shared with his father before his death. To support the family, Daniyal has left school and now works at a car service station, earning Rs. 500 (£1.31) per day, while Ismail has also left school to train as a hairdresser, earning Rs. 300–400 (£0.78–£1.04) as a paid apprentice in a local salon. The youngest, Anwas, continues his education in the second grade at a local school. The family lives in a rented house and struggles daily to make ends meet.
Tragically, justice remains elusive. Shagufta Bibi informed BACA that none of her husband’s killers have been convicted. Instead, the Sheikhupura court has granted bail to the accused.
With tears in her eyes, she told BACA:
“All I want is justice for the murder of my husband.”
Bilal Masih shared the heavy burden now placed upon his young shoulders:
“My father was everything to us. The murderers have taken him away from us. Nothing can fill his absence in our lives. I have to look after many matters alone after his death.”
Hayat Masih, Afzal’s 65-year-old father, added quietly:
“We miss him everyday.”
Hayat Masih, father of Afzal Masih, mourns the loss of his brave son.
Hayat Masih mourns the tragic loss of his courageous son, Afzal Masih, who was brutally murdered while defending Christian women during a pilgrimage to the Marian Shrine in Mariamabad. Afzal’s death has left the family devastated, both emotionally and financially. Mr. Masih has appealed for urgent support to help cover the family’s basic living expenses and to ensure that the younger children can return to school.
BACA is appealing for urgent support to cover the lost wages of Afzal Masih for one year, estimated at £100 per month, to help his widow Shagufta Bibi and their four children meet basic living expenses while awaiting justice.
BACA is appealing for urgent support to cover the lost wages of Afzal Masih for one year, totaling £1,200, to help his widow Shagufta Bibi and their four children meet basic living expenses and begin to rebuild their lives while awaiting justice.
You can make a donation by clicking here — your support will make a real difference.
Juliet Chowdhry, Trustee of the British Asian Christian Association, said:
“Afzal Masih was murdered for doing what any decent man would do — protecting women from harassment. The fact that his killers now walk free on bail is a grave injustice that deepens the suffering of his widow and children. We cannot allow faith-based hatred and violence to go unchallenged. BACA stands with this family in their pursuit of justice and calls upon the authorities to ensure the perpetrators are held fully accountable.”
Justice delayed is justice denied. Afzal Masih’s family deserves accountability, protection, and the support needed to rebuild their broken lives.
