The attack on a Christian family in Sargodha last month was likely a targeted attack over a personal dispute between two neighbours, and the police must arrest those responsible for lynching Nazir Masih and destroying his properties with the attack investigated and the suspects duly charged. This was concluded by a of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), which visited the site of the May 25 incident, Mujahid Colony in Sargodha. A report of the fact-finding mission was issued on Tuesday as reports came in that Nazir Masih, who had been receiving treatment for severe injuries for the past ten days, had succumbed.
In the 10-page report, HRCP said they had visited the site and spoke with the local Christian community, law enforcers, and area residents to ascertain what had happened on May 25 and the status of Muslim-Christian relations in the colony prior to the incident and the possible events that led up to the violent incident. The commission found that Nazir Masih, who used to reside abroad and periodically visited his home in Sargodha, was a well-to-do resident who owned the largest house on his street. When he was in Pakistan, he would get up early, sweep the area outside his house, pile up the trash and set it alight before returning and getting on with the rest of his day.
He also owned a small shoe workshop located further down the street where nine people worked, all Christians. Nazir Masih had two sons, Sultan and Ilyas. Sultan lived in a house adjacent to N.