After weeks of living apart and hiding at different locations, Azeem Javed and his family have finally been reunited in a secure home arranged by the British Asian Christian Association (BACA).
The Christian family fled after false blasphemy allegations triggered a large and angry gathering outside their home in Baldia Town, Karachi, on 9th July 2026.
BACA has committed to supporting the family’s rent and household bills for six months while they recover from the devastating impact of the allegations.
Azeem and his younger brother Shamroz are also seeking two laptops so they can resume their civil engineering drafting work from home and rebuild their independence.
A Family Reunited After Weeks in Hiding
After more than a month of fear, uncertainty and separation, Azeem Javed and his family are finally able to live together again.
The British Asian Christian Association has successfully arranged a safe house for the family, whose lives were turned upside down after allegations of blasphemy led to hundreds of enraged Muslims gathering outside their three-storey family property in Baldia Town, Karachi, on 9th July 2026.
For their own protection, members of the family had been forced to scatter and take refuge with different relatives and supporters at undisclosed locations. Azeem was separated from his wife and other members of his family, while everyone lived with the constant anxiety of not knowing whether their loved ones were safe.
Finding suitable accommodation presented significant challenges because the family’s identity and location needed to remain secret.
“We could not disclose our identity, which could have caused a serious problem for us,” Azeem told BACA.
“Secondly, it was difficult to find a big house to accommodate a large family.”
After weeks of searching, however, BACA has now secured accommodation large enough for the family to reunite while maintaining the secrecy necessary for their safety.
The advance rent for September and security deposit have been paid, and a rental agreement has been signed with careful measures taken to protect the family’s identity and location.
How the Family’s Ordeal Began
The family’s nightmare began on 9th July after an envelope allegedly containing burnt pages of the Quran, together with photographs of Azeem and his mother, was discovered in Baldia Town.
According to information gathered during BACA’s earlier investigation, the First Information Report stated that the envelope allegedly contained photographs of Azeem and his mother, copies of their identity cards and burnt pages of the Quran. Within hours, hundreds of protesters descended on the family’s property.
Police and Pakistan Rangers evacuated members of the family before the crowd could reach them and advised them not to return to their home. Their property was subsequently sealed, leaving their clothing, furniture, important documents, savings and other possessions inaccessible.
The intervention of law-enforcement agencies and Christian and Muslim community figures helped prevent the situation from escalating further.
On 23rd July, a BACA team travelled to Karachi and met Azeem and his mother at a secure location. At that stage, the family remained scattered across several undisclosed locations and appealed to BACA for help finding a secure property where they could live together again.
Azeem also told BACA during that earlier meeting:
“I want somewhere safe where my whole family can live together. I don’t want to remain a burden on other people.”
BACA agreed to help. Now, after weeks of searching and making the necessary security arrangements, that request has become a reality.
“I Am Relieved of a Major Burden”
Azeem said the events of July have profoundly affected every aspect of the family’s life.
To protect themselves, relatives had to separate and stay at different locations. Azeem lived apart from his wife, who sought refuge with her relatives, while other members of the family were also accommodated elsewhere.
Alongside the security fears came the sudden loss of employment and financial stability.
“Being the head of the family after my father’s death, the security and well-being of my family lies on my shoulders, and I have been deeply worried for a house where we could live together,” Azeem told BACA.
For him, securing the safe house has removed one of the greatest immediate worries facing the family.
“I am relieved of a major burden — the house for my family,” he said.
“I am thankful to BACA for arranging a house and giving us a moment to reunite again.
“I am thankful to the Lord, for He made it possible for us.”
BACA Commits to Six Months of Support
BACA has agreed to support the family’s rent and essential living costs for six months, providing them with a period of stability in which they can recover and begin rebuilding their lives.
The family needs approximately Rs. 95,000 (£255) every month to cover rent, household bills and essential living costs. Of this, £175 per month is for rent alone.
This is considerably more than BACA would normally spend on accommodation for a persecuted family. However, the property was identified by Pastor Ghazala Shafique, who has been supporting the family and helping to coordinate their legal protection. We have been advised that suitable rental accommodation is considerably more expensive in Karachi, particularly when trying to find a property large enough for the whole family while also taking their security needs into account.
Given the exceptional circumstances and the urgent need to reunite the family, BACA agreed to meet the higher rental cost.
To ensure accountability for donations, BACA is paying the rent directly to the landlord rather than passing the rental money to the family. Any sustenance grants for food, utilities and other essential living expenses are being paid directly to the family.
Over the six-month period, BACA expects the family’s rent and essential household support to cost approximately Rs. 577,000 (£1,530).
For the first time since the events of 9th July, the family can now live together under one roof rather than remaining scattered across several locations. This secure accommodation provides desperately needed stability, but it is only the first step towards rebuilding their lives.
Azeem and Shamroz Want to Work Again
Before the allegations, Azeem and his younger brother, Shamroz Javed, were both employed as qualified draftsmen working in civil engineering. BACA’s earlier report documented that both brothers lost their employment following the allegations, leaving the family without their previous income.
Azeem says his former employer has refused to take him back following the incident.
The brothers are therefore asking BACA for help obtaining two laptops that would allow them to undertake freelance drafting work remotely.
Their goal is not long-term dependence on charitable assistance but the opportunity to earn an income again while remaining in a secure location.
“We don’t want to be dependent,” Azeem said.
“If we have two laptops, we can work from home and rebuild our lives.”
This request echoes what Azeem told BACA when representatives first met the family in July. Even while living in hiding, he was already looking for a way for himself and his brother to use their professional skills to support their relatives again.
Juliet Chowdhry: “Safety Must Be Followed by the Chance to Rebuild”
BACA Trustee Juliet Chowdhry said:
“Seeing this family reunited under one roof after weeks of fear and separation is an immensely important moment. Azeem has carried the terrible burden of worrying about where his wife, mother, siblings and other relatives could live safely, while also losing his livelihood through circumstances entirely beyond his control.
“Providing a secure home gives this family breathing space, but our work cannot end there. Azeem and Shamroz are skilled young men who desperately want to work rather than depend on charity. By helping them obtain the equipment they need to work from home, we can turn emergency assistance into a genuine opportunity for independence.
“I am deeply grateful to every BACA supporter whose generosity makes interventions like this possible. Please continue to stand with this family as they rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.”
Please Help This Family Rebuild
Azeem’s family has moved from having a home, employment and an independent life to needing secret accommodation and financial assistance in a matter of weeks.
BACA has now helped them overcome one of their most immediate challenges: they are together again and have somewhere safe to live.
But maintaining that safety will require continued support.
BACA needs approximately £255 each month to meet the family’s rent and household bills, amounting to approximately £1,530 for six months.
We also hope to provide two suitable laptops so Azeem and Shamroz can restart their drafting careers through freelance work from home.
Every contribution, large or small, can help give this family something they have been fighting to regain since 9th July: security, stability and the opportunity to provide for themselves once again.
Please donate (click here) today to help BACA keep Azeem Javed and his family safe and support them as they rebuild their lives together.
