Hindu youth shot dead by Islamist in Pakistan after he refused to carry out forced labour

Case ID : aa4b042 | Location : Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan | Date of Incident : Mon, 28 April, 2025

Case ID : aa4b042

Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan

28 April, 2025

Hindu youth shot dead by Islamist in Pakistan after he refused to carry out forced labour

Attack resulting in death

Attacked for Hindu identity

Case Summary

In Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, a Hindu labourer from the Sindhi Bheel community named Kashi was shot dead by Islamists after he refused to carry out forced labour. According to statements from local Bheel community members and activists, Kashi had declined to perform work because he was tired, which led to his fatal shooting by his Muslim employer. The killing has prompted widespread outrage within the Bheel community, who have since staged protests demanding justice for the victim. As of the date of writing this report, the Bheel community had appealed to the authorities to catch the perpetrator and acknowledged that the local police had been cooperating with them in the investigation.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of: - Attack resulting in death. Within it the sub-category selected is: - Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime. Under this category, cases where the attack led to the death of the Hindu victim/s would be documented. This is a clear case of a religiously motivated hate crime and fits into the larger pattern of systemic discrimination and hostility faced by religious minorities in Pakistan. In this instance, a young Hindu labourer named Kashi from the marginalised Sindhi Bheel community was shot dead by an Islamist after he declined to perform work because of exhaustion. The killing of Kashi, a Hindu labourer from the Sindhi Bheel community in Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, should be seen as more than just a dispute over work, as it reflects the ongoing and widespread persecution of Hindus in Pakistan, especially those from poor and marginalised communities. Even though the incident may appear to be about a labour disagreement, the fact that Kashi was Hindu plays a crucial role in understanding the deeper motivation behind the crime. In Pakistan, Hindus regularly face discrimination, forced conversions, bonded labour, and violence. Within such a hostile environment, even small acts, like a Hindu refusing to work because he is tired, can lead to extreme consequences. The Muslim employer’s reaction to shoot Kashi for not working suggests a sense of religious superiority and the belief that a Hindu labourer has no right to say “no.” This wasn’t just about work. It was about punishing someone for asserting their dignity, something that is often denied to religious minorities in Pakistan. The crime fits into a pattern where Hindus are dehumanised and mistreated because of their faith. So, even if religious slogans or statements weren’t used during the incident, the hatred and discrimination that led to Kashi’s murder were clearly shaped by his Hindu identity. In short, Kashi’s death is part of the bigger picture of religiously motivated hate crimes in Pakistan. It’s not just a personal conflict but rooted in the deep-seated prejudice and anti-Hindu sentiment that continues to affect minorities in the country. Consequently, this incident has been added to the Hinduphobia tracker as a case of religiously motivated violence against a Hindu, reflecting the ongoing systemic persecution and discrimination faced by Hindus in Pakistan.