Sargodha police has arrested 26 people for mob violence and attempting to lynch a Christian man on Saturday while registering a case against 44 nominated and 300/400 unidentified suspects.
The case was registered on behalf of the State of Pakistan with clauses included in the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997.
However, the police also registered a blasphemy case against the Christian man who was seriously injured in the mob attack.
A worker of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) filed the blasphemy case.
On May 25, a violent mob tried to lynch the Christian man. Multiple viral videos on social media show horrific scenes of violent mobs damaging, setting fire and looting the property.
Station House Officer (SHO) Shahid Iqbal and other police personnel at the scene rescued the man from the burning house but when he was brought out, the mob swarmed in and attacked him.
The FIR also alleges that women were also a part of the crowd, inciting violence.
Over 350 Pakistani students have landed in Lahore and Islamabad from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Two of the three special flights landed at the Islamabad and Lahore airports on Sunday night, with 180 students on board each plane. The third plane was also expected to land later in the night.
At the Islamabad airport, the students who arrived were welcomed by federal minister Musadik Malik while in Lahore, the students were greeted by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.
The Civil Aviation Authority had set up an immigration desk and provided transport to the students on arrival.
As per the instructions of the PM, the federal government will bear the expenses for these special flights.
Ishaq Dar downplayed mob violence
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar — who put off his trip to Kyrgyzstan — downplayed the mob violence saying the situation in Bishkek was normal and there was no need to panic.
According to Ishaq Dar, 16 foreign students, including “four or five” Pakistanis, were injured in the violence.
FM Dar said that the government would cover the expenses of Pakistani students wishing to return home as 540 students would take three flights to return on Sunday. He said as many as 11,000 Pakistani students were studying in Bishkek, and those returning would be fully facilitated.
He quoted the Kyrgyz foreign minister as saying that the incident in Bishkek was due to a “misunderstanding”.
Students say all is not well
Many students on social media said that the embassy was not providing any help and that the situation in Bishkek was still bad. They said that the foreign students were attacked by Kyrgyz students and locals, adding that they were not even safe on the roads.
Balochistan students ‘ignored’
In Balochistan, Sajid Hussain, an educationist, claimed that the government had taken no steps to bring back at least 300 students from Balochistan stranded in Bishkek.
“Over 300 students from Balochistan are also studying in Kyrgyzstan but they have not been brought back,” Mr Hussain said.
His son and daughter are studying at the Asian International University in Kyrgyzstan along with five other students enrolled there.“I am in contact with my children,” he said, adding that no steps had been taken for the return of Baloch students.
He claimed that the federal government was repatriating students from other provinces and that parents of students from Balochistan were being asked to pay Rs100,000 for each student.
He appealed to Balochistan’s government officials to take notice of the situation and make special arrangements for the province’s students. CM Bugti has reportedly established a special desk in this regard, reported Dawn.
“To reach the students, the foreign ministry is in contact with the embassy of Kyrgyzstan,” the CM said, assuring “every possible assistance” for the students.
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) granted pre-arrest bail to Maulana Aleemuddin Shakir on Tuesday — a cleric involved in the Icchra Bazar incident when a woman was harassed for wearing a shirt with Arabic alphabets printed on it.
Accompanied by his lawyer, the cleric appeared before the court, promising to cooperate with the police investigation to demonstrate his innocence. However, he raised concerns about the possibility of his arrest by the police.
The lawyer highlighted that the petitioner was among those who shielded the woman from the hostile crowd and noted the police’s acknowledgment of his role in the incident.
Requesting pre-arrest bail, the lawyer stated that the petitioner was prepared to provide surety bonds.
Judge Arshad Javed granted bail to the petitioner, holding back the police from arresting him until March 25.
Background:
A woman wearing a dress with Arabic writing printed on it was attacked by a violent mob in February, last month. Videos of the incident quickly spread online, showing the mob surrounding her while she was at a restaurant in Lahore’s Ichhra Market.
Some people there accused her of having Quranic verses printed on her dress, which they found offensive. They were angry because of the Arabic writing on her dress, not knowing what it really meant. The dress actually has the word ‘sweet’ written on it.
The Sindh Police and Rangers dispersed a mob that had gathered outside the home of a Hindu sanitary worker accused of alleged blasphemy on Sunday. The incident took place in Hyderabad, Sindh.
People on social media are praising the role of the law enforcement agencies for saving the accused from the charged mob.
Have a look at some reactions:
Well-done Rangers and Sindh Police for dispersing a violent fanatic mob in Hyderabad and saving a minority sanitary worker from lynching. This sets an example that mob action will not be allowed. Sialkot incident has been haunting us, we can not afford another embarrassment. pic.twitter.com/YzXSIXr9Ki
Violent Mob demanding handover of hindu sanitary worker accused of blasphemy by surrounding police station. Sindh rangers today have set an example for rest of the police & LEAs in country how to establish writ of the state. Kudos to em. #NA245#Hyderabadpic.twitter.com/0uHdLxn1nA
According to the police, a Hindu sanitary worker was targeted as a result of a personal dispute with a local resident. The accused man has been identified as Ashok Kumar, and he was charged with blasphemy under Section 295-B for allegedly desecrating the Quran.
The case was registered on the complaint of Bilal, son of Bundo Khan Abbasi.
After the news spread, a charged mob gathered around an apartment building and demanded that he should be handed over.
Police then dispersed the violent mob.
Hyderabad police dispersed a violent mob which was demanding handing over a Hindu sanitary worker accusing him of #blasphemy Police claims the sanitary worker was targeted because of a personal clash with a local resident pic.twitter.com/CnSFLNLqhH
Maulana Tariq Jamil along with Special Assistant to Prime Minister and Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi met with the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to extend their condolences on the death of Priyantha Kumara.
Maulana Tariq Jamil, while talking to media said, “What happened in Sialkot was torture. It was an injustice. The people responsible for the incident will be severely punished.”
“Islam is the name of security. Our faith teaches us peace. The Prophet (PBUH) has taught us that the murder of one person is the murder of humanity,” he added.
He continued by adding, “We have talked to the Sri Lankan High Commissioner and apologised to him. We are ashamed.”
Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi also talked to media and said, “We have decided to take up the financial responsibility of Priyatha’s children. The deceased’s job has been offered to another Sri Lankan national.”
Priyantha Kumara was tortured to death in December, by a mob after being accused of blasphemy. A first information report (FIR) was registered against hundreds of unidentified men, including workers of the factory. Many have been arrested and are facing investigation.
The Sialkot District Bar Association has refused to take up the case of suspects in Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara’s lynching case, reports Dawn. The decision was made in the meeting held by the association on Wednesday. The association also expressed its grief over the sad incident.
The eight suspects in the case were brought before a Gujranwala anti-terrorism court yesterday. The court remanded them in police custody for 13 days. As per court’s order, the suspects will have to appear in court again on December 21. The suspects were arrested with the help of CCTV footage. So far, 345 Rajco Industries’ employees have been detained and taken to an undisclosed location for questioning.
The last remains of Priyantha Kumara, were transferred to Sri Lanka on December 6.
Priyantha Kumara was tortured to death on December 3 by a mob after being accused of blasphemy. Prime Minister Imran Khan has condemned the incident and has said that justice will be served.
Pakistan national cricketer Shoaib Malik, who belongs to Sialkot, has condemned the ‘violence’ in Sialkot by a mob.
Taking to Twitter, the cricketer said: “My heartiest condolences, I stand with the family of the deceased & strongly condemn this act of violence.”
He also said that what happened there should not have happened. The cricketer also demanded punishment for the culprits.
He further added: “What happened, shouldn’t have happened, we are embarrassed. The culprits should be punished at the earliest… #Sialkot.”
– My heartiest condolences, I stand with the family of the deceased & strongly condemn this act of violence. What happened, shouldn’t have happened, we are embarrassed. The culprits should be punished at the earliest… #Sialkot
Former captain of Pakistan cricket team Shahid Afridi also expressed his thoughts, sharing a Quranic verse: “Whosoever kills a person … it shall be as if he has killed all mankind.”
“Whosoever kills a person … it shall be as if he has killed all mankind” -Al Quran [5:32] #Sialkot
Similarly, Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Hafeez expressed his grief on Twitter.
“Condemning horrific attack on a factory & shameful incident in Sialkot. As Pakistani i wil call it a black day for our society,” he wrote while adding hashtags of #Sialkot and #Justice.”
Condemning horrific attack on a factory & shameful incident in Sialkot. As Pakistani i wil call it a black day for our society. #Sialkot#Justice
The gut-wrenching incident took place on Sialkot’s Wazirabad Road, where workers of private factories brutally lynched a Sri Lankan national, Priyantha Kumara, on Friday.
The nation was shell-shocked and disgusted when the Sri Lankan national was brutally lynched and his body was set on fire by the mob. The sickening incident outraged the nation as the civil and military leaders denounced it as “horrific” “shameful” and “extra-judicial vigilantism”.
Several gruesome video clips shared on social media showed a mob beating the victim while chanting slogans against blasphemy.
President Arif Alvi said the vigilante attack has nothing to do with religion as Prime Minister Imran Khan promised that those responsible “will be punished with the full severity of the law”.
Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted that the “horrific, vigilante attack” on the factory and the burning alive of the Sri Lankan man was “a day of shame for Pakistan”.
“I am overseeing the investigations and, let there be no mistake, all those responsible will be punished with the full severity of the law. Arrests are in progress,” he added.
The horrific vigilante attack on factory in Sialkot & the burning alive of Sri Lankan manager is a day of shame for Pakistan. I am overseeing the investigations & let there be no mistake all those responsible will be punished with full severity of the law. Arrests are in progress
Chief Minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar tweeted that he was “extremely shocked at the horrific Sialkot incident”.
I am extremely shocked at the horrific Sialkot incident. I have instructed IG Police to thoroughly investigate it. No one is allowed to take law in their hands. Rest assured, individuals involved in this inhumane act will not be spared!!
According to the latest updates, more than 100 people, including 13 of the main culprits have been arrested.
Total 118 suspects have been arrested so far in 200+ raids of Police, 13 main people involved in Sialkot incident have been all arrested- @hasaankhawarpic.twitter.com/u4YdHVurxu
Police is identifying all the culprits using CCTV footages.
پولیس نے 24 گھنٹے سے کم وقت میں 13 مرکزی ملزمان کو گرفتار کیا ،118 مشتبہ افراد زیر حراست ہیں آئی جی پنجاب اس آپریشن کی خود نگرانی کر رہے تھے RPO گوجرانولہ اور DPO سیالکوٹ کی نگرانی میں گرینڈ آپریشن کیا گیا اب تک200 سے زائد چھاپے مارے گئے@UsmanAKBuzdar@ImranKhanPTI#Sialkothttps://t.co/8VGpLv01nx
Civil Rights organisations have organised a rally to “protest and condemn” the Sialkot incident. The protest will be held today at 3pm at the Liberty roundabout Lahore. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan along with the Joint Action Committee for People’s Rights, Haqooq-e-Khalq Movement and Women’s Action Forum have given the call for the protest.
A prominent member of the Haqooq-e-Khalq Movement (HKM) Ammar Ali Jan in a tweet said, “Words are not enough. We must rise against religious extremism destroying our country. Joint Action Committee, HKM and other organisations are holding a protest today in Lahore (Liberty roundabout) at 3 pm to condemn the barbaric event in Sialkot. Join us.”
Words are not enough. We must rise against religious extremism destroying our country. Joint Action Committee, HKM and other organisations are holding a protest today in Lahore (Liberty roundabout) at 3 pm to condemn the barbaric event in Sialkot. Join us!
A charged mob in Sialkot yesterday tortured, killed and burnt the body of a Sri Lankan man who was accused of blasphemy over some posters he had allegedly taken down.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has condemned the incident and has said that justice will be served.
The police have arrested more than 100 people involved, and one of the main culprits, Farhan Idrees has been arrested. Farhan gave an interview to local news channels, taking pride in the murder he committed.
A Hindu veterinary doctor has been arrested over blasphemy accusations in the Mirpurkhas district of Sindh.
According to reports, Ramesh Kumar was taken into custody on Monday while angry protesters burnt tyres to block roads and set ablaze shops owned by Hindus in the Phuladyon town of the city.
Reports quoted Zahid Hussain Leghari, the Station House Officer (SHO) of the local police station, as saying that a case was registered against the doctor.
He added that a proper investigation would be carried out and the doctor had been shifted to a safe location amid all the unrest.
Earlier, the head cleric of a local mosque, Maulvi Ishaq Nohri, had filed the complaint with the police alleging that the doctor had torn pages of a holy book and wrapped medicines in them.
“I urge the government to intervene and ensure the safety of Hindu Sindhis who have lived peacefully here for centuries,” said Facebook user Syma Jafri.
“Also, action must be taken against those who initiated these riots and incited violence. There is a proper lawful procedure for such cases. How can we think of killing someone, especially when it’s Youme Ali,” she added.
Being 7.5 million in number, Hindus form the biggest minority community in the country. Pakistan Hindu Council has time and again complained of minority members being “targeted under the blasphemy law by people because of personal enmity”.
According to Center for Social Justice, at least 1,490 people have been charged under the country’s blasphemy laws between 1987 and 2018.
