The Postulator General stresses that "this is a great achievement, the result of the work done with passion and competence by the members of the diocesan Tribunal and by those who have contributed, in particular by the Historical Commission and the vice-postulator Fr Gabriel Cruz SDB". The Postulator General will now ask the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to appoint a Rapporteur to guide the preparation of the "Positio super martyrio" of the Servant of God, which will be drawn up by Dr Matteo Penati, collaborator of the Postulation. The diocesan Inquiry was held at the Episcopal Curia in Lahore, Pakistan, from 15 March 2022 to 15 March 2024.
Akash Bashir was born in Pakistan on 22 June 1994, to a lowly family, and studied at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Lahore. He led a life like any other young man's and had his own dreams for his future. He lived with his family, he had friends both at school and at work, he liked to play sports and prayer was part of his life. He had committed himself to living as an "a good Christian and upright citizen", as Don Bosco wanted, and had become a security volunteer in his parish church, at a time when the situation in Pakistan was worrying, with the risk of encountering suicide bombers who targeted religious sites.
On 15 March 2015, one Sunday morning, a suicide bomber attempted to enter the church of St John in Youhanabad, a Christian district of Lahore, which at that time had over 800 faithful participating in the Mass. When he realized the situation, Akash did not hesitate to sacrifice himself to prevent the bomber from causing a massacre in the church.
