Pakistani Christian self-immolated, not burnt by Muslims

(March 27, 2010) A Pakistani Christian man who died from burn injuries this week was a case of self-immolation and was not set alight by Muslim extremists as reported earlier, according to Church officials close to the case. Earlier versions said the victim, Rashid Masih as named by UCA News, had been set alight by Muslims for refusing to convert. Previous reports said the man’s first name was Arshed. But UCA reported he set himself on fire in despair after his wife was allegedly tortured by police, following a charge that she stole from a Muslim cinema manager in Rawalpindi. Police tortured his wife, who works as a housemaid, in his presence, the UCA report said, citing unnamed Church sources. Hundreds of Christians blocked traffic in Rawalpindi for half an hour during Masih's funeral procession. Masih had tried to prove his wife's innocence and is said to have cried all night before setting himself on fire, the report said.