Police in Pakistan have reported a violent attack by irate Muslims on a Christian settlement over alleged blasphemy. The incident happened in Sargodha city in Punjab province, leaving several individuals injured.
According to reports, Muslim demonstrators set ablaze houses, including a shoemaking factory belonging to a 70-year-old Christian man who was assaulted and accused of desecrating the Quran.
Pakistani police intervened, rescuing 10 Christians and dispersing the crowd, yet not without injury; ten officers sustained wounds. To quell the religious tensions fuelling the flames, hundreds of additional units have been deployed to Christian settlements.
At least 20 suspects associated with the mob assault have been apprehended, with the police launching an investigation into the blasphemy allegations. They have vowed to pursue further arrests as part of their ongoing crackdown.
This incident marks a disturbing recurrence of violent mob attacks in Pakistan. In August 2023, in the Jaranwala district of Punjab, a Muslim majority targeted 21 churches and damaged over 90 Christian properties, following accusations of blasphemy against two Christian brothers. The fallout affected numerous Christian households, leading to the arrest of over 250 individuals, including those accused of desecrating the Quran.
In Pakistan, defaming the Quran or Islamic beliefs is punishable by death under the country’s stringent blasphemy laws.