The reason is that Islamic extremism can gain a foothold in a country where around 40 % of the population is illiterate. Similarly, according to the Fragile State Index of 2024, Pakistan is the 27th most insecure country in the world.
On December 5, Pastor Kamran Salamat, 45, was shot and killed in a targeted attack outside his residence in Islam Colony, Sialkot Road, Gujranwala, Pakistan.
According to local sources, Pastor Salamat was getting ready to drive his daughter to high school when an unknown assailant came from behind and started shooting at close range. The bullets hit his stomach, left ear and right wrist. His young daughter bravely tried to help him by hitting the shooter with her father's crutch, forcing him to flee. Although he was taken to Civil Hospital Gujranwala to receive emergency treatment, he did not survive his injuries. This is according to International Christian Concern (ICC).
Police arrived soon after, collected forensic material and secured CCTV footage from nearby locations. A First Information Report was registered under Section 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Pastor Kamran Salamat's daughter was able to identify the armed assailant, who was described as a man with a long beard. The investigation is ongoing and Christians across Pakistan are demanding justice for Pastor Kamran Salamat and his family, according to the ICC.
Kamran had been on the run for a long time
According to his family, this conflict began after a dispute over church land in Rawalpindi. A few months ago, Salamat survived a shooting incident in Islamabad that left him with a severely injured leg. He later moved to Lahore, but still didn't feel safe and eventually moved to Gujranwala to seek refuge - but the threats continued. Despite the threats, he continued his work for the Kingdom of God.
Pastor Salamat's funeral took place on December 6 at Saint Paul Presbyterian Church in Gujranwala, where thousands of Christians gathered to honor his life and ministry.
The head of the Danish European Mission's partner organization in Pakistan says: ”My heart goes out to Kamran's wife and children who are now mourning the loss of their father. In my own city, Christians have also been killed for their faith.”
Secretary General: Pakistani Christians live in insecurity
Samuel Nymann Eriksen, Secretary General of the Danish European Mission, says: ”With this killing of a Christian pastor, we are at the heart of the problem for Pakistan's Christians and other minorities - namely the insecurity they continue to live in. According to the German sociologist Max Weber, it should be a hallmark of a state that its police and authorities can ensure peace and order so that all citizens can live in security. On the one hand, there are several examples of authorities succeeding in protecting Christians. For example, Pakistani police have offered a church that the Danish European Mission works with protection every Sunday during worship from attacks by extremists. But on the other hand, Islamic extremists have gained influence in the police, authorities, politics and the judiciary. It is therefore crucial that this killing is fully investigated and justice is served.”
Pastor Slamat is survived by his wife, Salmina Kamran, and his children, Numeer, Arina and Ariel. His death has shocked the Christian community across Pakistan and believers remember Pastor Slamat as a humble and faithful servant of Jesus Christ who refused to stop preaching the truth of the Gospel.
Support Pakistan: Schooling for poor Christian children
Facts and figures
Currently, donors ensure that 194 children from poor Christian families, as well as a few vulnerable children from other minority backgrounds, attend school.
This will help the Christian minority to help themselves, as the growing generation will have the opportunity to learn to read, count, get an education, work and stand on their own two feet. In the future, they will be better able to fight for their rights and make a positive difference in society.
