Source: www.worthynews.com
Date: April 17, 2025
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
HAFIZABAD, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – At least three Christian children have died in Pakistan’s Punjab province after a suspected Islamic extremist distributed poisoned sweets among Christian kids, several sources told Worthy News Tuesday.
The “horrifying incident has shaken the Christian community in Qila Sahib Singh, a neighborhood in [the city of] Hafizabad,” said Sardar Mushtaq Gill, the founder of the advocacy group LEAD Ministries Pakistan.
Gill, whose group represents Christians in the region, told Worthy News that the attack occurred on Palm Sunday, April 14, at about 6:30 p.m. local time. The distribution of poisoned sweets “has tragically claimed the lives of three children, while five others remain hospitalized in critical condition,” Gill added.
Police announced that investigations are currently underway to identify and apprehend the suspect.
Eyewitnesses said an unknown man arrived in the area “on a three-wheeler” and handed out sweets “specifically to Christian children.”
Shortly after consuming the sweets, the children reportedly began showing signs of severe illness. “Alarmed residents attempted to intervene, but the suspect fled the scene before he could be apprehended,” Gill confirmed.
Christian leaders suggested this attack was religiously motivated and potentially linked to Islamic extremist groups known for targeting Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan.
TIMING OF ATTACK
“The timing of the attack—so close to Easter—has heightened concerns of further targeted violence during the Christian holy season,” LEAD said in a statement.
“This was not a random act,” added Pastor Imran Amanat, a leader with LEAD Ministries, “This was a deliberate attempt to harm our children and our community. We demand immediate action from the authorities and full protection for Christians during this vulnerable time.”
Gill called it “a heinous act of religiously motivated violence” and added there was a “need for urgent government intervention to prevent further tragedies.”
LEAD Ministries has urged the Christian community to remain vigilant and united in prayer. “Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of these innocent lives,” said Pastor Amanat. “We ask the global Christian community to join us in prayer—prayers for comfort, for healing, and for justice.”
This tragic event has reignited calls for stronger legal protections and security measures for Pakistan’s Christian minority, which has faced discrimination, threats, and violence, LEAD said.
“As the investigation continues, the Christian community in Hafizabad—and across Pakistan—waits for justice and for meaningful action to ensure such violence is never repeated,” Gill told Worthy News.