A judge in Pakistan on Thursday (March 27) sentenced to death a Muslim who murdered a 20-year-old Christian in the presence of his family members, sources said.
Saima Riyasat, additional sessions judge of Pasrur, Sialkot District, handed the country’s maximum punishment for murder to Muhammad Zubair for killing Farhan Ul Qamar on Nov. 9, 2023, said Christian attorney Lazar Allah Rakha. The court also imposed a fine of 500,000 Pakistani Rupees ($1,785 USD), he said.
“The convict is a hardened criminal and was already involved in several cases of a heinous nature,” Rakha told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “However, he managed to escape punishment every time because of his family’s political influence and criminal history, which had emboldened him to the extent that he started targeting Christian residents without any fear of punishment.”
The attorney lauded the victim’s father, Noor Ul Qamar, for remaining steadfast in the pursuit for justice for his son, who had enrolled in a four-year medical technician program and had been excited about becoming a health care professional.
“The family has faced immense pressure and threats from the convict’s family to reach a settlement, but they have shown exemplary courage and perseverance, and today God has served them with justice,” Rakha said. “The punishment handed to Zubair should serve as an example for all those who target marginalized communities, especially Christians, with violent crimes.”
On the night of the killing, Zubair showed hatred for Christians and Jews, mistakenly referring to the family as Jews as he ranted at them before killing Farhan Ul Qamar, family members said.
Rakha also expressed gratitude for support extended by legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International, which helped cover the legal costs of the trial.
Both Ul Qamar and his wife broke into tears when the judge announced the verdict, Ul Qamar said.
“I cannot express the agony and pain my wife and I and our three children have suffered since the time our beloved son’s life was ruthlessly taken in front of our eyes,” he said. “From the onset of the trial, we had set our eyes on our Lord Jesus Christ and remained steadfast in our faith that He will give justice to us. Today, when the murderer was finally convicted, we felt in our hearts that Farhan’s soul will now rest in eternal peace.”
Ul Qamar said Zubair’s family had used various tactics to repeatedly intimidate and harass them into reaching a “compromise” with them, which could have resulted in a pardon for the killer.
“Our struggle was not only to get justice for Farhan, but also to ensure that no other Christian family in our area would suffer at the hands of such religiously-prejudiced criminals,” Ul Qamar said.
Zubair began hurling threats and slurs at them as soon as the verdict was announced, he said.
“Even when he was being taken back from the courtroom, he shouted that they will not let any Christian live in peace in the area,” Ul Qamar told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “There were a large number of people from his side present in and outside the courtroom, but we are grateful to the police, which provided us with adequate security and prevented them from causing any harm to us.”
Four policemen remain deployed at the family’s home due to the threats Zubair’s family has issued, he said.
Among 20-25 other Christian families in Talwandi Inayat Khan village, Pasrur tehsil of Sialkot District, Punjab Province, Ul Qamar’s family has resided in the area for generations, often facing religious bias and discrimination, he said.
Zubair has the right to appeal the sentence, but it may take two to three years before an appeal is set for a hearing before the high court, said Rakha.
“During this time, the convict’s family will likely try their best to pressure the Qamar family to pardon the accused, therefore the police must not remove their security,” he stressed.
Tehmina Arora, director of advocacy in Asia of ADF International, said the cold-blooded murder of Ul Qamar was a reminder of the vulnerability of Christians in Pakistan.
“Mobs and individual are emboldened because, over the years, the Pakistani government has failed to ensure swift prosecution and justice for Christians who have been attacked in their homes and churches,” Arora said, pointing to defective investigation in the cases of 2023 Jaranwala attacks, in which all of the suspects have been released on bail.
This case, however, is a good example that if police carry out their responsibility professionally and help prosecution in effectively establishing crime, justice can be administered on merit, she added.
“It is imperative that the Pakistani government take steps to ensure the protection of religious minorities, and that no one is targeted because of their faith,” she said.
Pakistan ranked eighth on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian.
