Pakistan has witnessed fresh riots where hundreds of Muslims rioted after allegations surfaced that a Christian man has desecrated pages of the Quran. The mob ransacked and burned his house, and beat him before police intervened and rescued him and his father, officials reported.
In Pakistan, Muslims execute a person just because he is a Christian. pic.twitter.com/oZ9V9nYVnV
— Salwan Momika (@Salwan_Momika1) May 25, 2024
The incident occurred on Saturday in the Mujahid Colony residential area of Sargodha, a city in Punjab province, according to district police chief Ijaz Malhi. He stated that police responded quickly and managed to save the two men. Malhi confirmed that the situation is now under control and that officers are investigating the allegations.
Condition of Christians in Pakistan.
This is how Majority community treating their minorities.
— Rishi Bagree (@rishibagree) May 26, 2024
Amid the chaos, a radical mob set fire to at least one house and a small shoe factory. The violence erupted after neighbors accused a member of a minority community of desecrating the Quran. Some protesters looted items and threw them into a bonfire burning in the middle of the street. In response, the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemned the incident, stating that the Christian community was “at grave risk to their lives at the hands of the charged mobs.”
On Saturday, Malhi said the police dispersed the crowds and are now seeking assistance from religious scholars to help defuse the tensions. The Punjab government condemned the attack. The small shoemaking factory owned by the Christian man was also set on fire, Malhi added.
Blasphemy accusations are common in Pakistan. Under the country’s strict blasphemy laws, anyone found guilty of insulting Islam or Islamic figures can face the death penalty. It’s important to recognize that blasphemy has always been a highly sensitive issue in Pakistan. Allegations of blasphemy often result in mob violence and street lynchings. While the act is punishable by death under Pakistani law, the state has not yet executed anyone for this offense.
Also Read: Mob Attacks Christian Community In Pakistan’s Punjab Province
Police Actions:
DPO Assad Ejaz Malhi informed Pakistani news outlet Dawn that 25 members of the mob were taken into custody at the scene. He also mentioned that additional police units have been deployed throughout the city to ensure the safety of all residents.
Authorities reported that the man accused of desecrating the Quran is alive and receiving treatment at a hospital.
This incident recalls a severe attack on Christians in August 2023 in Jaranwala, another district in Punjab. During that event, angry mobs burned churches and attacked numerous people after Muslim residents claimed they saw a Christian and his friend desecrating a Quran. Although no fatalities occurred, it evoked memories of the 2009 violence in Gojra, Punjab, where six Christians were killed and about 60 homes were destroyed following similar accusations.
