POC 06 Gulzar Masih Family
The Price of Shelter
Our family:
1- Gulzar Masih – January 1, 1975 (Self)
2- Uzma Bibi – January 14, 1984 (Wife)
3- Fizza Gulzar – December 17, 2007 (Daughter)
Arrived as refugees in Bangkok: December 07, 2015
Refugee Status: “Refused” by UNHCR
Details on gaining Refugee Status is here.
In a world where faith divides, one man risks everything to protect the innocent
Gulzar Masih, a Christian from Faisalabad, Pakistan, recounts the events that forced him and his family to flee the country due to religious persecution. Born into a Christian family, Gulzar built a life for himself through hard work, running a scrap business and constructing a home for his family. However, his life took a drastic turn when he became entangled in the fallout of a blasphemy accusation against a relative.
In 2011, Gulzar’s sister Sajida’s in-laws were affected by a violent attack in Gojra, where seven Christians were burned alive, and 60 houses were destroyed over blasphemy accusations. Later, in 2014, Gulzar sheltered Roma’s mother and siblings after Roma was falsely accused of blasphemy and fled to Thailand. This act of kindness led to severe consequences for Gulzar and his family.
In January 2015, Gulzar’s childhood friend’s father, Muhammad Gulab, discovered that Gulzar was hiding Roma’s family and reported them to the police and a local Islamic leader, Haji Zafar. A mob, including members of Jamaat-e-Islami, stormed Gulzar’s home, beating and threatening his family. The police warned Gulzar to hand over Roma’s family or face further violence from the Muslim community.
Fearing for their lives, Gulzar and his family went into hiding, moving between cities to avoid detection. Despite attempts to reconcile with Gulab, Gulzar faced further threats, including a chilling call from Haji Zafar, who vowed to find and kill Gulzar and his family for sheltering “blasphemers.”
In May 2015, after learning that his photo was being circulated by Jamaat-e-Islami members, Gulzar realized it was no longer safe to stay in Pakistan. He sold his house and, with the help of a travel agent, arranged for his family to flee to Thailand. On December 7, 2015, Gulzar, his wife, and daughter flew to Bangkok, seeking international protection from the ongoing religious persecution in Pakistan.
More information…
Gulzar Masih — Detailed Statement
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First published: 2025/07/17/
Latest revision: 2025/09/10/