Christian Families Flee Pakistani Village After Blasphemy Accusations
Islamabad — More than two dozen Christian families were forced to flee their homes in Pakistan’s Punjab province after blasphemy allegations against a pastor living in the United States raised fears of mob violence, according to a report.
The incident took place July 3 in Jhulan village in Gujranwala division, where announcements from mosque loudspeakers accused Pastor Sajeel Robin of sharing social media videos considered offensive to Islam and Prophet Muhammad, The Christian Post reported.
Robin, a native of the village, now lives in the United States.
Joseph Nayyar, a human rights advocate, said Robin frequently posts videos featuring religious debates with Muslims and discussions on Islam.
“Pastor Sajeel Robin, who settled in the US a couple of years ago, frequently posts videos featuring religious debates with Muslims and discussions on Islam,” Nayyar said.
“His uncle, Shamaun Masih, and younger brother, Nabeel Robin, who still live in the village, reportedly shared some of those videos in WhatsApp groups. After local clerics became aware of the content, they began making announcements from mosque loudspeakers calling on people to act against what they described as ‘blasphemous content,’” he added.
Around 35 to 40 Christian families live in Jhulan village. After the mosque announcements, police advised Christian residents to leave their homes as a precaution against possible violence, Nayyar said.
He said most Christian families fled with only the belongings they could carry. Police took Robin’s father, Robin Masih, and maternal uncle, Shamaun Masih, into protective custody, while his brother, Nabeel Robin, went into hiding to avoid arrest.
Nayyar said local clerics and Muslim community leaders later submitted a signed statement to police saying they were “pardoning” Robin and Shamaun Masih after the two men issued an unconditional apology and publicly distanced themselves from Sajeel Robin. After the agreement, Christian families were able to return to their homes, The Christian Post reported.
The incident comes amid renewed concern over Pakistan’s blasphemy laws following the death of Amir Peter, a Christian man who died in prison while awaiting trial on a blasphemy charge.
Peter, 60, the brother of Capuchin priest Fr. Henry Paul, died July 1 after suffering medical complications while in custody. He had been arrested on July 19, 2025, after local businessmen allegedly filed a false blasphemy complaint against him, Radio Veritas Asia reported.
The Capuchin Friars in Lahore and the Christian organization Christians True Spirit had provided legal assistance to Peter and filed a petition seeking his release on medical grounds. He died before the court could rule on the petition.
Fr. Qaisar Feroz, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, said Peter’s death reflected serious flaws in the legal process.
“The Catholic community mourns the loss of a man whose life was tragically cut short by a flawed legal process,” Feroz said.
He said authorities ignored Peter’s condition and denied him the urgent medical care he needed. (Source: IANS)
