Police are refusing to investigate the murder of a Christian man shot dead whilst driving his rickshaw in the city of Kasur on 8 February.
Shahzad Masih (25) took a call from two men whom he was to transport to a pilgrimage site at the tomb of a Sufi saint. He never returned home from this journey.
Missing person
In the early hours of the following morning his family members contacted close friends and family to see if anyone knew his whereabouts. In the afternoon Shahzad’s brother Tariq went to the local police station to register a missing persons case.
It was extremely unusual for his brother to be away from home for so long. Moreover, the latest that Shahzad would work in the evening would normally be from 11pm to midnight and he had never stayed out overnight previously – especially without informing someone in his family.
Body found
After reporting the missing status of Shahzad to Patoki Police, Tariq received a call from a police officer an hour later in which he was informed that a dead body had been found.
After identification, the body was immediately taken to the hospital by the police for a post-mortem. The family has yet to receive the report, but they were asked to bury the body immediately by the police. The family said they saw what looked like a bullet penetration on Shahzad’s forehead. They have been chasing Patoki police for a full post-mortem report, but have regularly been stalled.
