They did not deserve it.
Allah Rakhi Bibi mourned her husband, Nazeer Masih Gill, relentlessly after he was fatally attacked by a Muslim mob under false blasphemy accusations. A month after Nazeer’s tragic death, the grief-stricken widow passed away herself from cardiac arrest at the age of 72. Her son, Sultan Gill, recounted her constant sorrow, where memories of her late husband consumed her thoughts and conversations until her final hours.
“She never stopped crying,” Sultan Gill recalled. “She would reminisce about their cherished moments together, then cry out his name. Shortly before she died, she lamented that life held no meaning without him, saying, ‘He left me alone, and I can’t bear it anymore.'”
The family’s anguish was compounded when news of the attackers’ bail reached Bibi, exacerbating her pain. Despite efforts to shield her from this distressing information, the stress became unbearable, culminating in her fatal chest pains on a Friday afternoon. Medical assistance was delayed, aggravating her condition, and despite efforts to save her at the hospital, she succumbed to cardiac arrest.
“We buried her alongside my father the same day,” Sultan Gill revealed, speaking of the devastating impact on their lives. “Our family, including our children, is gripped by depression and stress. Our business is lost, and we live like refugees in our own home. The release of those responsible for my father’s death feels like salt on our wounds. We’ve lost hope for justice, and now my mother is gone too.”
The release of the suspects involved in Nazeer’s murder, granted bail due to insufficient evidence and police mishandling, further added to the family’s despair. Asad Jamal, an attorney familiar with such cases, criticized the police’s flawed investigation and the judiciary’s decision, noting the systemic injustices faced by religious minorities in Pakistan.
The incident underscores Pakistan’s challenging environment for Christians, ranking among the toughest places for religious minorities according to global assessments. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemned Nazeer Masih Gill’s lynching as a calculated act driven by religious animosity, highlighting systemic failures in law enforcement and judicial processes.
The plight of Allah Rakhi Bibi and her family reflects not only personal tragedy but also broader societal injustices, where the quest for justice remains elusive amidst religious tensions and institutional biases.