Authorities in eastern Pakistan report the arrest of over 100 Muslim men, charged with attacking a Christian father and son accused of desecrating pages of Islam’s holy book.
LAHORE, Pakistan — Police in eastern Pakistan arrested more than 100 Muslim men under anti-terrorism laws for attacking a Christian father and son accused of desecrating pages of the Quran, officials announced Monday.
The mob went on a rampage Saturday in Sargodha, Punjab province, after locals claimed they saw burnt Quran pages outside the Christians’ house, senior police officer Assad Ijaz Malhi reported. They accused the son of the desecration, setting the family’s house and shoemaking factory on fire, and assaulting the son.
Police forces rescued the wounded men and transported them to a hospital, where they are in stable condition. Following multiple police raids, at least 100 men were arrested, and authorities continue to pursue others involved in the attack, Malhi said. The blaze fully incinerated the factory and parts of the house, according to residents and police.
Punjab police have increased security at churches. In a statement released Monday, police detailed the incident, describing how officers received a distress call from Sargodha city about a mob besieging a Christian home. The district police chief and others arrived at the scene in Mujahid Colony to find a volatile situation, with the mob demanding the alleged blasphemer be handed over.
Police rescued 10 Christians surrounded by the mob and transported them to a secure location. Several officers were wounded during the rescue operation. Malhi stated that investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the damage.
Blasphemy accusations are common in Pakistan, where the blasphemy laws can impose the death penalty for insulting Islam or Islamic figures. While no one has been executed under these laws, accusations often lead to riots, mob violence, lynchings, and killings.
This recent violence echoes one of the worst attacks on Christians in Pakistan in August 2023, when thousands set churches and Christian homes on fire in Jaranwala, Punjab province, after similar claims of Quran desecration by two men.