Amid the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, a 22-year-old man was “brutally attacked” on March 22 by his supervisor after refusing to convert to Islam.

The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reported the attack, pointing to it as yet another example of “the persistent religious intolerance present in much of Pakistani society.”

Of the 208 million inhabitants of the South Asian country, 96.47% are Muslim and 1.9% Christian. The remainder are Buddhists, Hindus, agnostics, and members of other local religions.

Attacks against Christians in Pakistan intensified in August 2023 after Muslims looted and burned more than 25 churches and at least 85 homes in Jaranwala. The local Church reported that “people are frightened and feeling hopeless.”

This weekend, at the Subhan Paper Mills in Punjab, young Christian Waqas Masih “suffered severe neck injuries” after his supervisor, identified by ACN as “Zohaib,” accused him of desecrating pages of the Quran found in the trash. The attacker was arrested by police and is charged with attempted murder.

“I pray for his speedy recovery and for the well-being of his entire family. The attack on Waqas Masih is a harsh reminder of the challenges faced by religious minorities in Pakistan and the urgent need for social change to promote tolerance and protect the rights of all citizens,” Capuchin Franciscan Lazar Aslam, who visited Masih in the hospital, told ACN.

“We humbly call on the international community to pray for the victims and their families as well as to raise awareness about the difficult situation for marginalized communities in Pakistan, ensuring that their voices are heard and their rights protected,” he added.

Furthermore, in Pakistan, there are recurring reports of Christians being sentenced to prison terms, or even death, for allegedly sharing messages against Islam on social media. Regarding this reality, Aslam emphasized the urgent need for local authorities to make efforts to protect the most vulnerable.

“Sadly, making false accusations of blasphemy and harassing vulnerable minority communities has become a disturbing trend in Pakistan. We urge state institutions and responsible individuals to take concrete steps to prevent such incidents and ensure the protection of minority rights,” he commented.

Despite persecution and suffering, Pakistani Catholics look to the witness of the Servant of God Akash Bashir, a young man whom everyone considers a martyr because in 2015 he sacrificed his life to prevent a terrorist attack on his parish. Bashir’s witness has united Christians of all faiths and even some Muslims.