Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, including Faisal Mosque. (Fassifarooq, Creative Commons)

LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – Police in Pakistan tortured and killed a Catholic father of four within hours of taking him into custody on false kidnapping charges, his family said.

In Lahore’s Sadhoki Kahna Nau area, police tried to portray the death of Iftikhar Masih on March 26 as a suicide, saying they found his body hanging by a scarf from a ceiling fan, according to his brother, Riyasat Masih. Iftikhar Masih was 42.

Iftikhar Masih’s wife received a phone call on March 26 from her husband’s number from a man identifying himself as a police officer, his brother said.

“The caller alleged that Iftikhar had been caught attempting to kidnap a girl at gunpoint from a private housing society and asked her to come to the Industrial Area Police Station’s Kahna post,” Masih told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.

He immediately went to the police post, where an officer identified as Mohsin Shah informed him of the allegations, Masih said. The officer said no First Information Report (FIR) had been registered yet and suggested the matter “could still be resolved,” the deceased’s brother said.

Riyasat Masih said Shaw demanded a bribe of 200,000 Pakistani rupees ($720) in exchange for his brother’s release.

“I pleaded that my brother was innocent and of good character, but he insisted on the payment,” Masih told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “I left to arrange the money, and when I returned a few hours later, I was told that Iftikhar had committed suicide.”

Masih disputed the police claim that his brother was found hanging from a ceiling fan with a scarf, saying he saw visible signs of torture on the body.

“There were marks on several parts of his body,” he said. “The police refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing and continued to insist it was suicide.”

There was no complainant present at the police station regarding any kidnapping allegations, and no one has come forward even after more than a week, Masih said.

“The allegation appears to have been fabricated to extort money,” he said, adding that the family has yet to receive a post-mortem report. “I have repeatedly visited the hospital and police offices, but they have not provided it. We still do not know the full extent of the injuries.”

Iftikhar Masih had been working as a gardener at the University of Lahore for several years.

Word of his death triggered protests by members of the local Christian community. More than 300 people gathered outside the police station, blocking access for several hours and preventing an ambulance from entering to collect the body, local residents said.

Provincial Christian lawmaker Falbous Christopher visited the scene following the protests and spoke to senior police officials, calling for action against those responsible for the alleged murder. The mob dispersed after police registered an FIR against Shah and an unidentified accomplice.

Shah was subsequently taken into custody, Masih said.

Hundreds of people attended Iftikhar Masih’s funeral on March 27, his brother said, describing the turnout as evidence of his reputation in the community.

The case comes amid broader concerns about deaths in police custody and extrajudicial killings in Punjab Province. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reported that at least 924 people were killed in police encounters in the province during the first eight months of 2025.

In a report released on Feb. 17, the HRCP said families frequently claim victims had been detained prior to being killed in what were later described as armed encounters.

“The extreme casualty imbalance – averaging more than two fatal encounters daily  – combined with the uniformity of operational patterns across districts, indicates an institutionalized practice rather than isolated incidents,” said Asad Iqbal Butt, chairperson of the HRCP, calling for a high-level judicial inquiry.

Christian support group Open Doors has also raised concerns about the situation of religious minorities in Pakistan. In its 2026 World Watch List, the organization ranked Pakistan eighth among countries where Christians face the most severe persecution, citing systemic discrimination, mob violence, forced conversions and weak law enforcement.

If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit https://morningstarnews.org/resources/aid-agencies/ for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved.  

If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at https://morningstarnews.org/donate/?

###

© 2026 Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Articles/photos may be reprinted with credit to Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. https://morningstarnews.org 

Tweet: https://twitter.com/morningstarnewz/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorningStarNews

Morning Star News is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that relies solely on contributions to offer original news reports of persecuted Christians. By providing reliable news on the suffering church, Morning Star News’ mission is to empower those in the free world to help and to encourage persecuted Christians that they are not forgotten or alone. For free subscription, contact [email protected]; to make tax-deductible donations, visit https://morningstarnews.org/donate/? or send check to Morning Star News, 34281 Doheny Park Rd., # 7022, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624, USA.