Sunny Masih, the son of Mansha Masih, resides in Jia Baga, Lahore. He was married to
Sonia Bibi, and they have three young children: Isaac Masih (son, age 7), and the
six-year-old twin daughters, Meera and Meerab. Sunny works at a brick kiln, and Sonia
had recently started a job as a janitor at a local corporation just one month before the
incident.
Sonia Bibi, along with six other women from her town, was employed at the corporation
office. Initially, Sonia and a colleague, Rukhsana Bibi, would travel to work on a
motorcycle driven by their supervisor, Shoukat Masih. After a few days, Sonia told her
husband, Sunny, that her supervisor, Shoukat Masih, "was not a good person," though she
did not disclose any specific intentions or threats. Following this, Sonia and the other
women arranged a rickshaw and began commuting to work together. Their job timing was
from 5:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
On February 13, 2025, Sonia left for work as usual. In the afternoon, she called Sunny using her colleague Sajjida Bibi’s phone, stating she was on her way home. Sunny asked her to purchase some groceries. When a long time passed, and Sonia did not return, Sunny called Sajjida Bibi back, but the phone was switched off. Worried, Sunny began searching for his wife and subsequently filed a missing person complaint at the local police station.
The next day, as Sunny went to work, Zafar Masih and Qaiser Masih met him and informed him that they had seen Sonia with Shoukat Masih on a motorbike at 4:00 PM the previous day, heading from Jia Baga toward Raiwind. Sunny followed this lead, and during his inquiries, some people informed him that the dead body of a woman had been found that night on the Railway tracks. Sunny immediately rushed to the location, where he verified the body, identifying it as his wife, Sonia Bibi.
Based on the evidence and his discovery, Sunny submitted a formal application for the murder of his wife, naming Shoukat Masih as the primary suspect. The police registered the case as First Information Report (FIR) No. 1164/2025 under sections 302 (murder), 365 (kidnapping), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) at the Raiwind City Police Station in Lahore.
Police subsequently arrested Shoukat Masih. During the investigation, the accused confessed that he had forcibly taken Sonia Bibi to the factory quarter of his friend, Muhammad Razzaq, where he murdered her. Later that night, with the help of Muhammad Razzaq, they disposed of Sonia’s dead body on the railway tracks. Following this confession, Muhammad Razzaq was also arrested. Both accused were sent to judicial custody after the initial investigation was completed.
As a poor labourer, Sunny Masih faced financial difficulties that prevented him from pursuing the murder case of his wife effectively. Determined to seek justice for Sonia and his minor children and ensure the accused were punished, he approached CLAAS (Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement) for legal assistance.
On March 20th 2025, the co-accused, Muhammad Razzaq, filed for post-arrest bail in the Sessions Court. The CLAAS lawyer contested the petition, presenting arguments that resulted in the court dismissing Muhammad Razzaq's bail application.
However, in November 2025, Muhammad Razzaq filed another post-arrest bail petition, this time in the Lahore High Court, which was accepted, and he was granted bail. The main accused, Shoukat Masih, remains in jail pending trial. CLAAS continues to fight for justice for Sunny Masih and his family.
