Blackmail, Murder, and a Faith Healer’s Demise

Two women in Pakistan have been arrested and charged with murder after allegedly strangling a faith healer they accused of years of blackmail and sexual harassment. Police reported the women confessed to the crime, stating the healer, identified as Riaz Hussain, exploited their vulnerability after they sought his help to remove perceived black magic curses. Instead of providing spiritual assistance, Hussain allegedly recorded compromising videos and used them to threaten the women.

The incident, which occurred in the city of Multan in Punjab province, involved the assistance of the women’s cousin and another man in carrying out the act. Following the strangulation, the group reportedly disposed of Hussain’s body. Police have apprehended all four individuals, along with a fifth man connected to the case.

This disturbing incident highlights a deeply troubling pattern of exploitation facilitated by the reverence for faith healers within some Pakistani communities. The practice allows individuals like Hussain to prey on vulnerable people seeking spiritual guidance, often under the guise of healing or removing curses.

The case echoes other horrific instances of abuse linked to faith healers in Pakistan. In 2022, a pregnant woman was hospitalized with a nail driven into her head following a faith healer’s instruction, intended to ensure the birth of a son. The following year, a woman died after days of torture inflicted by a faith healer performing an alleged exorcism.

These cases underscore the urgent need for greater oversight and regulation of faith healing practices in Pakistan, as well as increased support for victims of exploitation and abuse. The cultural reverence for these figures should not shield them from accountability when they inflict harm, and vulnerable individuals must be protected from predatory practices disguised as spiritual guidance. It’s a tragic situation where desperation for faith-based solutions is twisted into a tool for coercion and violence.