The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you
Pastor Kamran Salamat of Pakistan was assassinated in a targeted shooting on December 5 in Gujranwala after facing ongoing threats and surviving two previous shooting attacks, plunging the Pakistani Christian community into deep shock and fear. According to International Christian Concern (ICC), Pastor Salamat was shot by unidentified armed assailants who approached him from behind while he was preparing to take his 16 year old daughter to university.
He was struck by bullets in the abdomen, left ear, and right wrist. He was rushed to Gujranwala Civil Hospital but later died from his injuries. Police immediately sealed off the scene, collected forensic evidence, secured CCTV footage, and registered a First Information Report under Section 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
According to the family, the conflict appears to have originated from a dispute over church land in Rawalpindi. Several months earlier, Pastor Salamat had also been shot in Islamabad and seriously wounded in the leg. Following that incident, he moved repeatedly from Islamabad to Lahore and then to Gujranwala in an attempt to escape ongoing threats.
Despite the danger, the threats continued, and Pastor Salamat did not stop what he called “the work of God’s kingdom.” His funeral was held on December 6 at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Gujranwala, where thousands of Christians gathered to mourn his life and dedication. Beyond his preaching ministry, he was known for advocating for Christians facing discrimination and violence, providing pastoral care, and training church leaders in persecuted areas.
Following his killing, anxiety within the Christian community has intensified. On the same day, several church leaders in Lahore were summoned to police stations and instructed to arrange their own security measures. Police stated they could deploy one or two officers on Sundays, but most security responsibility was placed on the churches themselves. Smaller churches have expressed that they are unable to bear such measures.
Human rights groups and church leaders strongly condemned the murder, calling for a fair investigation and stronger protection for religious minorities. Observers note that this killing once again highlights the growing reality that many Pakistani Christians have emigrated over the past decade due to violence, threats, and systemic discrimination.
As the Christian community mourns the loss of a respected pastor, fear has deepened. Local leaders have urged the international community to recognize the seriousness of the danger revealed by this incident and to respond with global attention and support. (Source : Gospel Prayer News, Edited Version)
2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command.(2 Thessalonians 3:2-4,NIV
God, we believe that through the death of this pastor, who faithfully carried out his calling for Your kingdom amid threats and ultimately suffered martyrdom, You will bring forth many lives in Christ in Pakistan. Please comfort his family and church, who are living with fear and deep loss, with the hope of heaven. Strengthen them, faithful Lord, and protect them from all injustice and evil. May Your church stand firmly in the world, obeying and living out what You have commanded, and rise as a light that leads the broken souls of Pakistan to You, the Author of salvation.
Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org
