Faisalabad, Christian kidnapped by a Muslim landowner: They want his home
Afzal Masih, father of three children, has been missing since 19 September. His home borders to that of Fazi Ullah, a Muslim businessman, who accuses him of theft. Masih family: "The purpose of the Muslim is to occupy our home, as he has already done with two other homes belonging to Christians."
Faisalabad (AsiaNews) - Afzal Masih, a Christian worker and father of three children, was kidnapped by a Muslim who owns a brickworks. The man's family, resident in Malkhanwala, Faisalabad, reports that Afzal has been missing since 19 September.
Relatives asked Ullah, the Muslim brickworks owner, several times to hand the laborer over. But he accuses the Christian with theft and for this reason he is detained behind bars. Afzal's mother and sister dismiss the allegations and complain that behind the whole affair is Ullah's attempt to get hold of their home.
Afzal works in a brick works that does not belong to Ullah. He has no ties to the Muslim, except the fact that their houses are adjacent. On September 19, Ullah sent to call the Christian and his mother Safia Bibi. Arriving at his home, the businessman accused Afzal of having stolen 250,000 Pakistani rupees [about 2,000 euros] from a relative's home. So he detained the Christian and sent his mother home. From that point on, no one has seen him anymore.
On several occasions the mother demanded the return of her son, but whenever she went to the bricklayer she received only insults and threats. She also went to the police, but Afzal has not been traced. The Muslim is threatening Safia with the worst consequences if the family does not deliver her other children or her home.
Shazad Masih Afzal’s sister and her mother are opposed to the request to leave their home. The women complain to AsiaNews that "the only purpose of Ullah is to occupy our home, as he has already occupied two other Christian homes. We are very poor and we have no strength to oppose the judges, especially because he is very influential and has power. We work all day in a brickwork and we only have a small property. We do not want our home to be occupied. "
Afzal's father is disabled, so the family spends everything it has for his care, and is often indebted. "Let us pray to God to help us and bring our son home soon," conclude the parents.
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