By Daud Zafar | August 29, 2025
On July 31, 2025, Nabeel Masih, a young Christian man from Pakistan, passed away — not simply due to disease, but due to a nation’s indifference and a system’s cruelty.
A Life Torn Apart at 16
Nabeel was just 16 years old when he was accused of “liking” a blasphemous Facebook post in 2016 — a charge that led to his arrest under Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws. In a deeply conservative town near Kasur, Punjab, the accusation triggered mob pressure, public outcry, and swift police action.
No investigation.
No due process.
Just the handcuffs of Section 295-C.
Four Years Behind Bars
Despite being a minor and having no prior history of any misconduct, Nabeel was jailed in Kot Lakhpat prison under brutal conditions. He endured solitary confinement, death threats from fellow inmates, and complete abandonment from the state.
During this time, his health began to deteriorate — both mentally and physically. Malnutrition, stress-induced complications, and the trauma of wrongful imprisonment were ignored by the system.
Legal Battle
Nabeel’s legal defense was led by Riaz Anjum, a renowned Christian human rights lawyer, with support from CLAAS (Centre for Legal Aid Assistance & Settlement). After years of struggle and multiple adjournments, he was granted bail in March 2020.
But by then, the damage had been done.
Life After Release – From Freedom to Sickness
Released from prison, Nabeel was a ghost of his former self. Severely underweight and mentally shaken, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis, liver dysfunction, and other chronic illnesses — many of which were worsened by the inhumane conditions in jail.
Numerous Christian organizations used his name in fundraising campaigns, promising support and medical care. But the ground reality was harsh: no major effort was made to send him abroad for proper treatment, despite repeated calls by activists.
Some insiders now allege that NGOs feared losing international funding if the case was no longer “appealing”. Nabeel became a symbol — but not a priority.
Final Days and Death
For the past several months, Nabeel remained bedridden in a critical condition, neglected by the very institutions that claimed to champion his rights. On July 31, 2025, he succumbed to his illnesses in Lahore.
No government official visited.
No mainstream media covered the news.
No apology ever came.
A Systemic Failure
Nabeel Masih’s story is not just about blasphemy laws. It is about a system that targets the voiceless, abandons the weak, and then erases them from memory. His death is a shameful indictment of both the state and the silence of civil society.
He never wanted to be a martyr.
He only wanted to live.
