The young Christian man started working at a plastic bottle manufacturing factory owned by Haji Muhammad Saleem in Lahore’s Islampura area two months ago. He wished to leave the job on the 6th of June because he had found a more suitable workplace. The owner then started harassing his parents to force him to return to work.

Waqas’s mother, Rubina, stated: “When we told him that he didn’t want to come back, Saleem suddenly accused Waqas of committing a theft worth millions of rupees. We told Saleem our son was not a thief, but Saleem refused to listen. We even asked him to show us evidence that incriminated Waqas, but nothing was produced before us.”

Despite the atrocious fake charges, Waqas’s parents were willing to compensate Saleem for the alleged damages as long as they could pay in monthly instalments. Saleem refused and ordered Waqas to return to work immediately. 

When Waqas was going for another job interview, Saleem’s son spotted him. He then informed his father and asked a few of their factory workers to join in attacking the young man. They gave him electric shocks in addition to beating and kicking him.

Rubina recalls details of the incident: “Factory workers Shahzad, Bilal and Shani and the two owners started beating my son mercilessly with plastic pipes and other objects. My son Awais was also in the factory and witnessed the entire episode, but he could do nothing to save his elder brother. The torture was so excruciating that my son collapsed. Seeing the situation, Saleem told my son Awais to clean Waqas’s body with water and then run home and bring us to the factory. As soon as Awais informed me, I ran towards the factory, but my son had succumbed to the torture by that time. There was nothing I could do to save his life. Our financial condition is such that we didn’t even have enough money to arrange for his burial. I literally begged my relatives to loan me money so that I could put my son’s body to rest.”

The police arrested one of the assailants, a factory worker. The owner and his son were allowed to leave on bail. Unfortunately, the Salamat family is extremely poor and can’t afford legal representation to take the perpetrators to court. 

The grieving Rubina expressed her disappointment and described her hopeless situation in an interview: “Waqas was my beloved son and my biggest support. He often told me he’d work hard to make life easier for us, but I never imagined he would be taken from me like this. I’m very poor, and with Waqas gone, my family’s financial situation has further deteriorated. I humbly ask my Christian brothers and sisters to support us in getting justice for my innocent son.”

Source: https://morningstarnews.org/