Pakistan Christians Fear Mob Violence After Arrest Mentally Challenged Believer
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) – Tensions remained high Friday in Pakistan’s Punjab Province after local police detained a mentally challenged Christian on charges of blasphemy against Islam, Christians told Worthy News.
Farhan Javed Masih, 28, was taken into custody in the Ghala Mandi area of Punjab’s central city of Sahiwal after a local Muslim resident, Muhammad Bilal Khan, accused him of “speaking against Islam,” Christians said.
He was also accused of making derogatory remarks about Islam’s “sacred figures,” said the suspect’s mother, Parveen Javed.
“Farhan, who is reported to be mentally unstable, was taken into police custody as a precautionary measure. It happened after a large crowd gathered, calling for his immediate punishment,” said Sardar Mushtaq Gill, the founder of LEAD Ministries Pakistan, a Christian advocacy group.
“The situation has sparked fears of mob violence, with many local Christians fearing for their safety,” Gill told Worthy News.
Pastor Imran Amanat, another leader with LEAD Ministries Pakistan, confirmed the arrest and urged Christians worldwide to pray for Farhan’s life and the safety of the Christian community in the area. “The situation is critical. We ask for prayers for Farhan and for peace to prevail in this tense moment,” Pastor Amanat said in remarks sent to Worthy News.
The Christian’s mother shared those concerns. Parveen Javed said her son, a member of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, had completed a four-year nursing course. He had worked at Adam Welfare Hospital in Sahiwal but was fired in 2023 due to mental illness and drug addiction, she said.
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“Farhan had become a heroin addict, which aggravated his mental health,” she was quoted as saying by Christian news service Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.
“We have tried to get him treated, but it didn’t work. Ever since he lost his job, Farhan used to loiter around the village all day saying absurd things. The entire village knows he is of unsound mind,” she added.
Javed, widowed six years ago and mother of three children in Chak 134-9/L village, said Farhan Masih’s mental health started deteriorating after his father’s death. “Getting him arrested for blasphemy will only aggravate his mental condition,” she said in published remarks.
He is the latest among at least scores of people being detained on blasphemy charges in Pakistan, an Islamic nation with strict blasphemy legislation, several sources say. “The situation has sparked fears of mob violence, with many local Christians fearing for their safety,” added Gill, a devoted Pakistani Christian who himself fled his home following death threats.
He urged authorities to ensure “the protection of all citizens,” regardless of their religious beliefs. “As the situation continues to unfold, local authorities have deployed additional police forces to manage the unrest and prevent further violence,” explained Gill. “The Christian community in Sahiwal remains on edge, hoping for a fair legal process and protection from the rising threats of mob justice.”
He said LEAD Ministries Pakistan is “asking for continued prayers not only for Farhan Masih but also for the safety and well-being of Christians in Pakistan, who frequently face threats under the country’s blasphemy laws.”
On Friday, Farhan was believed to remain in police custody. “Authorities are working to prevent the situation from escalating further. However, concerns about the potential for mob violence persist, and the Christian community in Sahiwal remains on high alert,” Gill warned.
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