One evening in Shahdara Town Lahore, tragedy struck when 18-year-old Aniqa Masih lost her life in a senseless act of violence. Aniqa was coming home with her father, Zulifqar Masih, after a regular shopping trip in Ichra Bazar Lahore, where they were preparing for her wedding next month.
Their evening turned terrifying when they stopped at a milk shop and encountered two masked robbers on a motorcycle. The robbers grabbed the cash box and started shooting when the shop owner, Muhammad Hassan, tried to fight back.
Sadly, the bullets meant for Hassan hit Aniqa in the chest and seriously injured Zulifqar in the arm. Aniqa fell to the ground, her hopes and dreams shattered in an instant, while her father collapsed from the shock and pain of his injuries.
As the robbers fled the scene, leaving chaos and devastation in their wake, the community of Shahdara Town was left to grapple with the profound loss of a promising young life and the shattered hopes of a family eagerly awaiting a joyful celebration.
Zulifqar Masih, with a heavy heart, shared the heartbreaking story of his daughter’s brutal murder. “In an instant, my world fell apart,” he said, his voice filled with sorrow. “My daughter lay lifeless before my eyes, and I was left seriously injured by the bullet that struck my left arm. Despite the crowd that had gathered around us, nobody called for emergency help.”
“I pleaded desperately for assistance,” he continued, his words echoing the anguish of a father’s helplessness. Thankfully, a compassionate person from the crowd stepped forward, offering assistance. Taking both Aniqa and Zulifqar Masih on their bike, they rushed them to Shahdara Teaching Hospital. Tragically, Aniqa was pronounced dead upon arrival, while the medical team tended to Zulifqar, removing the bullet lodged in his arm before discharging him.
The devastating news rippled through the family like a thunderbolt, leaving them numb with grief. Aniqa’s body was returned after a postmortem examination, and her funeral ceremony was solemnly held the following day, Sunday 7th April, as she was laid to rest in a local graveyard.
Amidst the mourning, justice began to take its course. An FIR was filed against the two unknown robbers, whose identities were later uncovered thanks to the police’s tracing of their location through Muhammad Hassan’s mobile phone, which had been locked inside the cash box. These fugitives, implicated in numerous murders during their robbery spree, were killed in a police encounter on Sunday afternoon, bringing a semblance of closure to the tragic saga.
Zulifqar Masih, a humble sweeper at WASA (Water and Sanitation Agency) Lahore, now carries the weight of unimaginable loss, his heart heavy with grief for his beloved daughter whose life was cut short by senseless violence.
