The day I pledged to work to end human rights violations and defend the victims of such violations for peaceful Pakistan was in May 2005. I was at home and heard some noise on the street which was crowded by a charged Muslim mob who wanted to kill a neighbour accused of blasphemy. I intervened and tried to rescue him from the mob. In return I was also beaten but thankfully I was successful in saving the accused professor’s life.
In 2007, I received a letter threatening me 'to convert to Islam or die' because I dared to shelter Martha Bibi, a woman was accused of blasphemy in January 2007. In 2013, I received an email with a death threat from Tehrik Namos Rasalat.
In June 2013, I was held at gunpoint by three armed men on the highway who threatened me with dire consequences because of my work and in particular my work defending Christian women who were beaten and disrobed.
In July 2013 six members of the extremist group Ahle Sunnat Wal Jammat came looking for me at my home and they even searched my relatives’ homes for me. They also published banner against me.
In November 2013, some unknown men fired a shot on the street outside my home as an act of intimidation but at that moment I was not at home. I remained, along with my family, in hiding at the time.
In August 2014, my home was shot at by three men whilst I was entering the house and my younger brother stood outside with two friends. A neighbour was injured in the attack and the shooters remain unidentified.
On 1 April 2015 at 12:45pm threats were made against my brother, Pervaiz Gill, and on the same day my brother suffered a bullet wound to his lower back and was rushed to hospital in Lahore for treatment.
On 19 October 2015 at 10:50am I received a warning call threatening me to stop highlighting issues concerning the religious discrimination of Christians and the blasphemy laws, calling me 'anti-Islamic and anti-government'.
On 28 October 2015 Aslam Masih, a volunteer field co-ordinator with LEAD was shot and his both legs were injured due to his affiliation with the work of LEAD.
It is becoming more and more difficult for me to trust anyone. I can not even trust my own relatives.
I am often anxious and terrified when I receive a phone call from my family; at once I think that the call is about something bad that has happened. While the threat is invisible, it is combined with a feeling of powerlessness, and often leads to bouts of extreme fear.
In spite of the threats to my life, the work will continue because, as a defenceless defender, I have Front Line Defenders.
The day I pledged to work to end human rights violations and defend the victims of such violations for peaceful Pakistan was in May 2005. I was at home and heard some noise on the street which was crowded by a charged Muslim mob who wanted to kill a neighbour accused of blasphemy. I intervened and tried to rescue him from the mob. In return I was also beaten but thankfully I was successful in saving the accused professor’s life.
