LAHORE, Pakistan – Police in Pakistan are continuing to search for the driver who fled after a truck plowed into an Easter procession, killing a teenage boy and injuring more than 60 people, as concerns grow over accountability and security lapses four days after the incident.
The accident occurred in the early hours of April 5 in Mariamabad in Punjab’s Wazirabad district, where about 200 Catholics had gathered for an Easter service. Irfan Bashir, a 17-year-old laborer, died of head injuries on April 6.
The suspect, identified as Muhammad Bilal, is still at large, officials said. The vehicle involved in the incident and the driver’s assistant are in police custody and a case has been registered.
Assistant sub-inspector Muhammad Ahmed, who registered the case, said, blaming speeding for the incident, “We are conducting daily raids to arrest the driver.”
He said the vehicle was empty and was heading towards a poultry farm and claimed that the procession was organized without police information.
At least 14 injured are admitted in two hospitals in nearby Gujranwala, some of whom are in critical condition. Doctors said most of the victims suffered fractures and trauma due to the impact and resulting concussion.
The Punjab government set up a medical camp at the local Catholic church on April 6 to aid victims in Mariamabad, a village with about 100 families of both Christians and Muslims.
disputed claims
Church representatives and community members have disputed police claims that authorities were not informed in advance. Organizers say prior notice was given, raising concerns over coordination failures.
Father Shahrukh Nathaniel, who led the sunrise service, said the street procession has now been suspended following the tragedy.
“We have asked the government to install speed breakers (called speed bumps in some countries) and barriers outside the church, which is located on the main road,” he told EWTN News. “Typically devotees gather outside after the mass, which increases the risk.”
He said authorities have promised financial compensation for the victims and praised the setting up of a medical camp amid shortages in government hospitals, while urging the speedy arrest of the driver.
‘It was the worst Easter ever’
The injured included the father of Mark Mathew, a Class 9 student, who was firing fireworks at the head of the procession when the truck hit him. His father, a furniture maker, has a broken leg and is bedridden, while his mother has injuries to her knee and eye.
“I feel lucky to be alive,” Mark said. “It was the worst Easter, visiting injured relatives and friends in hospitals.”
Rights advocates say the case highlights broader concerns over the safety of minority religious gatherings in Pakistan.
Capuchin friar condemns ‘Christianophobia’
In an April 8 statement, Capuchin Father Lazar Aslam, convener of the Justice, Peace and Ecology Commission, “strongly condemned this irresponsible and heinous act,” calling it a “clearly Christian-inspired hate crime.”
He said, “This was not a mere traffic accident; it was a targeted attack on innocent worshipers at the most sacred moment of the religious calendar.” “The driver’s failure to stop or render aid, and his decision to flee the scene, further underlines the malicious nature of this crime.”
He further stated that “the continued silence and minimization of such incidents is as painful as violence,” warning that genuine interreligious dialogue cannot exist without truth and security.
He said, “Until the lives of Christians are treated with equal respect and those responsible are held accountable, empty words of peace will remain inadequate to heal the community’s wounds.”
Aslam demanded immediate justice for the victims and urged authorities to ensure comprehensive medical treatment for the poor families most affected by the tragedy.
In September 2025, a Catholic pilgrim was killed and a teenager was injured when gunmen attacked a van carrying devotees to the country’s largest Marian shrine in Mariamabad. The group was traveling through Sheikhupura district to attend the annual feast of the Nativity of Mary on September 8, which is attended by thousands of people every year.
