A Pakistan Christian teacher at a school in a small village has beaten and tortured by extremists because of his Christian religion, in rejection and denial of his universal human rights.

Agenzia Fides reports that Saddique Azam, a Catholic teacher appointed headmaster at a primary school in the village of Pernawa was beaten and tortured by a group of extremist teachers who rejected his authority. Fides lawyer Sardar Mushtaq Gill states that “Christians in Pakistan continue to suffer discrimination because of their faith and given the existence of laws that legitimize discrimination.”

The report states that Pakistan teacher Saddique Azam was appointed as a headmaster of a school in the village of Pernawa three months ago, but extremists rejected his work there. He was called term “choora” pejorative used to describe Christians in Pakistan (it is the name of a low caste). Other non-Christian “teachers complained to the district authority of the Education Officer in Kasur because the appointment had been assigned to a Christian. Azam has been under massive pressure and was asked to resign, but he refused.” Fides reports that on October 5, 2015, extremist teachers “barged into his office and sat at his desk. When Azam walked in his office he asked for explanations, and after showing yet another refusal to resign, the three teachers started beating him, causing him several injuries and trauma, and was treated in hospital. The rest of the school staff intervened and called the police, who arrested the three attackers.”