Reports out of Pakistan say two Christian women have been victims of recent attacks and threats.
Sunita Masih, 19, a Pakistani Christian, suffered burns and disfigurement when a Muslim man threw acid on her because she rejected his marriage proposal. The Feb. 1 attack occurred in Karachi, as Masih exited a bus to go to work. Kamran Allah Bux — who had been pressuring Masih to renounce Christianity, become Muslim and marry him — threw acid on Masih, a source said. Twenty percent of her body was affected. Police took Bux into custody.
In a separate incident, Pakistani widow Samina Mushtaq was threatened with a false charge of blasphemy by a Muslim colleague after she refused his demand that she violate workplace rules, Morning Star News reported.
On Jan. 7, the supervisor, Muhammad Salim, demanded that Mushtaq, a security official with Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority, allow an unauthorized vehicle into a certain area at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. When Mushtaq refused, Salim threatened to accuse her of blasphemy. After Mushtaq posted to social media the video of Salim threatening her, he was temporarily suspended from work.
Pakistan is No. 7 on Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian.
