POC 10 Meelan Izhaq Family
Beneath the Same Sky
Our family:
- Meelan Khokhar – August 11, 1980 (Father)
- Lubna Meelan – December 23, 1980 (Mother)
- Malyca Meelan – November 24, 2006 (Daughter)
- Aroon Meelan – September 17, 2009 (Son)
Arrived as refugees in Bangkok: February 8, 2015
Refugee Status: “Refused” by UNHCR
Details on gaining Refugee Status is here.
Under the same sky, they fought for freedom. Beneath the same sky, they found hope
Meelan Izhaq, a Christian from Gujranwala, Pakistan, recounts the events that forced him and his family to flee the country due to religious persecution and false blasphemy accusations. Meelan worked in a cardboard factory and later managed a hospital canteen in Lahore. His life took a drastic turn when his brother-in-law, Jamshed, was falsely accused of blasphemy by his Muslim coworkers at GEO News Channel, who were affiliated with Sunni Tehreek, a radical Islamic organization.
In July 2014, Jamshed discovered shredded Quran pages in his office drawer, which led to a violent attack by his coworkers. Despite being severely beaten, Jamshed was further threatened by Sunni Tehreek members, who demanded he convert to Islam. Fearing for his life, Jamshed went into hiding. However, the persecution extended to Meelan’s family when Sunni Tehreek members attacked their home, assaulting Meelan’s wife, Lubna, and Jamshed’s mother. The attackers also fired gunshots and threatened the family, forcing them to flee Lahore.
Meelan and his family relocated multiple times, first to Qasoor and then to Gujranwala, but Sunni Tehreek members continued to track them down. In September 2014, Meelan received a threatening call from the police, accusing him and Jamshed of blasphemy. Realizing they were no longer safe in Pakistan, Meelan and his family joined Jamshed in Karachi, where they planned to leave the country.
With the help of a property dealer, Meelan and Jamshed sold their plots in Lahore to fund their escape. Jamshed and his wife fled to Thailand in November 2014, and Meelan, along with his wife and children, followed in February 2015, seeking international protection from the ongoing religious persecution in Pakistan.
More information…
Meelan Izhaq — Detailed Statement
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First published: 2025/08/01/
Latest revision: 2025/09/10/