In the quiet town of Millat Town, Faisalabad, a horrific incident unfolded on the afternoon of April 15, 2025, one that sends shivers down the spine of every compassionate soul. Two innocent Christian sisters, Aina (18) and Shaina (17), were viciously attacked, their dignity and safety torn apart in an act that speaks volumes about the entrenched vulnerability of religious minorities in Pakistan.
The girls, daughters of the late Shahid Masih, were no strangers to hardship. Life had already dealt them a cruel blow, having lost their father. Yet, they had found a way to survive. Employed as domestic workers in Muslim households, Aina and Shaina worked tirelessly to provide for themselves. That fateful afternoon, as they made their way home from work, their simple journey was shattered by the cruel actions of a group of Muslim youths.
The attackers, full of malice and hatred, did not simply stop at words. Eyewitnesses reported the harrowing scene: the girls were subjected to brutal verbal abuse, dragged by their hair through the marketplace, beaten mercilessly, and threatened at gunpoint. Their cries for help fell on deaf ears. For an agonizingly long period, the police failed to act despite an emergency call placed through helpline 15. It wasn’t until the local Christian community rose in protest that the authorities responded.
This delay in justice is not an isolated case. It is a reflection of a broader, systematic neglect faced by minorities in Pakistan, particularly Christian women and girls, who are often left unprotected and unheard. Aina and Shaina’s struggle does not end with the assault. The very system that should protect them failed to do so. It took a public outcry, an impassioned plea for justice, to force the police to register an FIR on April 16, 2025 (FIR No. 1109/25), based on a formal complaint by the girls’ uncle, Sabir Masih.
The indifference of the police and the reluctance to act swiftly highlight the deep-rooted injustices that pervade this society, where religious minorities are marginalized and left to fend for themselves.
This attack is more than just an isolated incident. It is a painful reminder of the daily struggles that Pakistan’s Christian minority faces, particularly its women and girls, who are often the silent victims of both religious and socio-economic discrimination. The emotional and psychological scars of this attack will last a lifetime, but the hope for justice, however faint, keeps burning in the hearts of those who stand with Aina and Shaina.
This heartbreaking episode has captured the attention of people worldwide, from activists to human rights advocates, all of whom are hoping that the system will not let this injustice go unpunished. The eyes of the world are now on Pakistan, waiting to see if justice will finally be served, or if these girls will be abandoned once again by a system that too often fails them.
In a world where the cries of the oppressed often go unheard, we cannot let Aina and Shaina’s pain be forgotten. Let us raise our voices in solidarity and demand justice — for them, and for every marginalized person whose rights are trampled upon. Only then can we hope for a future where no girl, no woman, no human being, must live in fear simply because of their faith.