Pakistan police guard Christian colony after mob attack over ‘blasphemy’
Jaranwala, Pakistan – AFP
Police were guarding a Christian neighbourhood in Pakistan on Thursday, after hundreds of men rampaged through its streets burning and ransacking churches and homes over accusations of blasphemy a day earlier.
The violence broke out in Jaranwala, on the outskirts of the industrial city of Faisalabad, after allegations spread that Christians had desecrated the Quran, forcing families to flee their homes.
On Thursday morning, hundreds of police were deployed in the area — including outside the main Salvation Army Church that had been gutted by fire.
A spokesperson for the Punjab provincial government said more than 100 people have been arrested, with police also seeking to arrest the people accused of defiling the Muslim holy book.
Pakistani bishop Azad Marshall, in the neighbouring city of Lahore, said the Christian community was “deeply pained and distressed” by the events.
“We cry out for justice and action from law enforcement and those who dispense justice and the safety of all citizens to intervene immediately and assure us that our lives are valuable in our own homeland,” he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Washington on Wednesday voiced alarm at the latest attacks and urged Pakistan to launch an investigation.
US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said that while the United States backed free expression, “violence or the threat of violence is never an acceptable form of expression”.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
