A Pakistani Christian man was fatally stabbed inside his own home in the city of Faisalabad in the early hours of 31 May 2026, in what his family describes as a calculated and unprovoked assault carried out by a man he had long considered a close friend.
Imran Masih, 45, a wall painter and the principal breadwinner of his household, was asleep on his veranda after returning from work when the suspected attacker, Muhammad Kashif, allegedly scaled the boundary wall of the family compound using a ladder, entered the premises after midnight around 2:00 am, and attacked him with a butcher’s knife. He was stabbed repeatedly in the chest and abdomen and died at the scene before any help could arrive.
Two of Imran’s nephews, Arbaz Masih, 25, and Akash Masih, 17, were roused by the commotion and rushed to intervene. Their bravery came at a heavy price. Akash sustained severe abdominal wounds and a knife injury to his right hand that severed veins in his arm, while Arbaz suffered lacerations to the neck. Both were transported to Allied Hospital Faisalabad for urgent medical care.
The killing has left a tight-knit family in profound grief and financial crisis. According to Mehmood Masih, a relative who spoke to the British Asian Christian Association (BACA), Imran and his alleged killer had known each other for most of their lives, sharing what he described as a brotherly bond. The motive for the violence remains unclear, though Mehmood disclosed that Imran had previously advanced around 800,000 Pakistani Rupees [approximately USD 2800], to Kashif, believed to be in connection with a land transaction. Whether this financial entanglement played any role in the killing, he said, is a matter for police to determine. “We believe only the police investigation will reveal the motive behind the brutal murder of my brother,” Mehmood told the BACA team.
Kashif, who was reportedly employed by Pakistan Railways, fled the area immediately following the attack and, at the time of reporting, remains at large. Police have filed a First Information Report [FIR] No. 811/26 under Sections 302 and 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which relate to murder and attempted murder respectively. Imran was laid to rest on 1st June in a local graveyard, with a police presence maintained throughout the burial due to ongoing concerns about the case.
The hardship facing the surviving family members is considerable. Both Akash and Arbaz were the primary earners of the household – Akash as a sweeper employed by Sutra Punjab and Arbaz working at a clothing outlet. With both now incapacitated, the family has lost all sources of income at once. They must also continue to care for an elderly mother living with chronic illness and a younger sister who relies entirely on the family for support.
BACA visited the bereaved family on 2nd June to offer condolences and material assistance, and returned on 5th June to visit Akash in hospital, where they prayed with him and provided further financial support. The organisation is covering costs including medicines, hospital transport, food during hospital stays, and basic household expenses. According to Juliet Chowdhry, a BACA trustee, the charity intends to provide the family with twelve months of sustained support. “This brutal murder has devastated an already vulnerable family,” she told Christian Today in an email. “We grieve with them and pray for justice, healing, and protection for those who survived this horrific attack. Violence has shattered this family’s future, but through the compassion of our supporters, we can ensure they are not left to struggle alone.”
