by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
KAHROR PAKKA, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – Residents discovered the body of a murdered Christian teenager in Pakistan’s Punjab province after authorities detained police suspects in the case, Christian investigators told Worthy News on Monday.
“The death of 18-year-old Christian student Daud” in Kahror Pakka, a city in Punjab province’s Lodhran District, following “an alleged encounter with police has sparked deep grief and outrage among the local Christian community,” Christian advocate Sardar Mushtaq Gill told Worthy News.
It was the latest in a series of murders and attacks against Christians in Muslim-majority Pakistan documented by Worthy News.
Gill added that there are “growing calls for justice, accountability and a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.”
Daud, described by Christian residents as “a young student and the only brother of three sisters,” reportedly died after two police officers allegedly took him from a checkpoint operating in the area under the jurisdiction of Sadar Police Station and brought him to a nearby canal.
TEEN FORCED INTO CANAL
The officers allegedly attacked Daud and then forced him into the canal, according to accounts shared with Worthy News.
Witnesses recalled that the teenager “struggled in the running water and cried for help as he attempted to escape.”
“One particularly serious allegation is that when Daud tried to get out of the canal, one of the officers allegedly drew his pistol and threatened to shoot him,” added Gill, founder of Christian advocacy group LEAD Ministries.
Gill explained that the officer allegedly warned a passerby who attempted to rescue the teenager not to intervene. Witnesses said the officers remained at the location while Daud continued struggling before eventually disappearing beneath the water.
Sadar Police Station reportedly registered the initial case under attempted-murder provisions. Four days later, after Daud’s body was recovered about 5 kilometers (3 miles) downstream, the case was converted into murder charges.
“Today the body was recovered and immediately buried because of its condition after several days in the water,” Gill explained.
POLICE SUSPECTS DETAINED
Two police officers accused in connection with the incident were reportedly detained. However, the allegations remain under investigation and subject to judicial proceedings, and authorities have not yet established criminal responsibility.
Daud’s funeral and burial were attended by grieving relatives and members of the local Christian community. His parents and three sisters are mourning the loss of their only son and brother.
Gill warned that Daud’s death had devastated an entire family and that incidents involving Christians perceived as defenseless could spread fear far beyond the immediate victims.
Pastor Imran Amanat, head of LEAD Ministries, condemned the alleged killing and urged authorities to ensure those responsible are held accountable under Pakistani law.
“Justice must be delivered, and the fear within the Christian community must be removed by ensuring that those responsible are punished according to law,” Amanat stressed.
CHRISTIANS SEEK PROTECTION
LEAD Ministries is demanding a transparent and impartial investigation examining eyewitness testimony, the conduct of the officers involved, circumstances surrounding the canal incident and the recovery of Daud’s body.
The case has added to longstanding concerns about the treatment of Pakistan’s Christian minority, particularly in Punjab province, where most of the nation’s Christians live.
Pakistan ranks eighth on Christian advocacy group Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution, placing it among nations where persecution is classified as “extreme.”
Open Doors says Christians face discrimination, while Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws can expose believers to arrest and mob violence. There have also been documented cases of forced conversions and marriages involving Christian women and girls, particularly in Punjab and Sindh.
Christians who leave Islam can face additional pressure from relatives and hard-line Islamic groups, while concerns persist about the ability of authorities to protect vulnerable religious minorities.
JUSTICE FOR DAUD
Christian advocates stressed that the allegations against the officers must still be tested through a credible investigation and judicial process.
“If the allegations are proven, those responsible must face the consequences provided by law,” Gill maintained, while stressing that due process should determine responsibility based on credible evidence.
Christian leaders said the case has raised wider questions about whether vulnerable minorities, including Christians, can rely on institutions entrusted with protecting them.
For the local Christian community, Gill stressed, the demand is clear: “Justice for Daud, truth for his family, and equal protection and dignity for every citizen.”
Despite the pressures, Pakistan remains home to one of the region’s largest Christian minorities. The 2023 national census counted about 3.3 million Christians, while the World Christian Database estimate used by Open Doors for its 2026 World Watch List puts the number at roughly 4.8 million.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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Christian Teen Found Dead In Pakistan Canal; Police Officers Detained (Worthy News Investigation)
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
KAHROR PAKKA, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – Residents discovered the body of a murdered Christian teenager in Pakistan’s Punjab province after authorities detained police suspects in the case, Christian investigators told Worthy News on Monday.
“The death of 18-year-old Christian student Daud” in Kahror Pakka, a city in Punjab province’s Lodhran District, following “an alleged encounter with police has sparked deep grief and outrage among the local Christian community,” Christian advocate Sardar Mushtaq Gill told Worthy News.
It was the latest in a series of murders and attacks against Christians in Muslim-majority Pakistan documented by Worthy News.
Gill added that there are “growing calls for justice, accountability and a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.”
Daud, described by Christian residents as “a young student and the only brother of three sisters,” reportedly died after two police officers allegedly took him from a checkpoint operating in the area under the jurisdiction of Sadar Police Station and brought him to a nearby canal.
TEEN FORCED INTO CANAL
The officers allegedly attacked Daud and then forced him into the canal, according to accounts shared with Worthy News.
Witnesses recalled that the teenager “struggled in the running water and cried for help as he attempted to escape.”
“One particularly serious allegation is that when Daud tried to get out of the canal, one of the officers allegedly drew his pistol and threatened to shoot him,” added Gill, founder of Christian advocacy group LEAD Ministries.
Gill explained that the officer allegedly warned a passerby who attempted to rescue the teenager not to intervene. Witnesses said the officers remained at the location while Daud continued struggling before eventually disappearing beneath the water.
Sadar Police Station reportedly registered the initial case under attempted-murder provisions. Four days later, after Daud’s body was recovered about 5 kilometers (3 miles) downstream, the case was converted into murder charges.
“Today the body was recovered and immediately buried because of its condition after several days in the water,” Gill explained.
POLICE SUSPECTS DETAINED
Two police officers accused in connection with the incident were reportedly detained. However, the allegations remain under investigation and subject to judicial proceedings, and authorities have not yet established criminal responsibility.
Daud’s funeral and burial were attended by grieving relatives and members of the local Christian community. His parents and three sisters are mourning the loss of their only son and brother.
Gill warned that Daud’s death had devastated an entire family and that incidents involving Christians perceived as defenseless could spread fear far beyond the immediate victims.
Pastor Imran Amanat, head of LEAD Ministries, condemned the alleged killing and urged authorities to ensure those responsible are held accountable under Pakistani law.
“Justice must be delivered, and the fear within the Christian community must be removed by ensuring that those responsible are punished according to law,” Amanat stressed.
CHRISTIANS SEEK PROTECTION
LEAD Ministries is demanding a transparent and impartial investigation examining eyewitness testimony, the conduct of the officers involved, circumstances surrounding the canal incident and the recovery of Daud’s body.
The case has added to longstanding concerns about the treatment of Pakistan’s Christian minority, particularly in Punjab province, where most of the nation’s Christians live.
Pakistan ranks eighth on Christian advocacy group Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List of 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution, placing it among nations where persecution is classified as “extreme.”
Open Doors says Christians face discrimination, while Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws can expose believers to arrest and mob violence. There have also been documented cases of forced conversions and marriages involving Christian women and girls, particularly in Punjab and Sindh.
Christians who leave Islam can face additional pressure from relatives and hard-line Islamic groups, while concerns persist about the ability of authorities to protect vulnerable religious minorities.
JUSTICE FOR DAUD
Christian advocates stressed that the allegations against the officers must still be tested through a credible investigation and judicial process.
“If the allegations are proven, those responsible must face the consequences provided by law,” Gill maintained, while stressing that due process should determine responsibility based on credible evidence.
Christian leaders said the case has raised wider questions about whether vulnerable minorities, including Christians, can rely on institutions entrusted with protecting them.
For the local Christian community, Gill stressed, the demand is clear: “Justice for Daud, truth for his family, and equal protection and dignity for every citizen.”
Despite the pressures, Pakistan remains home to one of the region’s largest Christian minorities. The 2023 national census counted about 3.3 million Christians, while the World Christian Database estimate used by Open Doors for its 2026 World Watch List puts the number at roughly 4.8 million.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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