Christians gathered in several churches around Khanewal district to offer prayers for victims of a mob attack that left one dead and 20 others injured.

“We pray for the speedy recovery of those in hospital and for comfort for the family of the deceased. May peace return in our lives,” said Pastor Rashid Anjum during Sunday service on October 9 at a Methodist church in the predominantly Muslim village 134/16L.

Thousands attended the funeral service of Saqib Masih, 25, who died last week from two gunshot wounds after a group of some 50 armed Muslims raided the house of a Christian family over a land dispute.

“They arrived on motorcycles and tractors. They tortured women and stole livestock,” said Shakil James, treasurer of a village church belonging to the Church of Pakistan, who added that 16 Muslim men had been detained following a complaint to the police.

The attack was sparked by an ongoing land dispute between Muslims and Christians over a plot of land that the Church of Pakistan says is now owned by the government.

Local Christian landlords and politicians have begun holding community meetings to address the dispute and urge Muslims to seek legal avenues to pursue their dispute.

Father Emanuel Sharif, a resident of neighboring Amrit Nagar village, condemned last week’s attack and refuted local media reports that claimed a “local church” bought the land to build an orphanage.

“The previous Muslim farmer illegally allotted it in his own name before the posting of a new tenant farmer, a Christian. This resulted in an attack on innocent people,” he said.

“No property is more precious than human lives.”