Nazir Masih, a 76-year-old Christian living in Sargodha, Pakistan has died following a brutal attack by a mob following accusations of blasphemy. Local property agent Muhammad Jahangir alleged that he had burned the Koran.
The attack began as a mob gathered around Masih’s home, demanding his execution. Despite the rapid arrival of the police and the Sargodha Peace Committee, the situation quickly spiralled out of control. The mob looted and set fire to Masih’s small shoe factory and attempted to burn down his home – with his family still inside. Only the intervention of the police, who had to use gas shells, quelled the disturbance.
However, the mob then managed to seize Masih from police protection, subjecting him to a vicious assault. Videos circulating on social media show the assailants pelting him with bricks, causing severe injuries. Even the ambulance transporting Masih to safety was attacked.
