PAKISTAN
Published May 27, 2024
Rev Samson Sohail, executive director of United Council of Churches, and other leaders from the Christian community protest against the Sargodha incident in Islamabad’s G-7 sector on Sunday. — White Star
Once again, a Christian family faced the wrath of a mob, which burnt their house and factory over yet another accusation of blasphemy. The claim was the family desecrated the holy Quran.
The incident in Sargodha is a heart-wrenching reminder of the unchecked mob violence that continues to plague our nation. Mobsters vandalised property and attempted to lynch a man after accusing him of blasphemy. Social media footage showed a mob surrounding a bloodied man and others, including teenagers, wrecking furniture. Another video showed a large blaze outside a house.
A statement from the Minority Rights March also said that videos of the incident showed the mob lynching a 70-year-old man “on the instigation of a local cleric” while the man’s home and factory were set ablaze.
Did this injured person surrounded by mob in the videos know at the time of the Jaranwala incident that he and his family would be next?
The videos of the attack clearly show officers of the Punjab police present there as silent spectators, which points towards their tacit approval and facilitation of the terrorists involved in the attack. Sargodha police claim to have arrested 15 people involved in the incident.
But the question is that 15 people were arrested in the Jaranwala case as well, and in dozens of previous cases of mob attacks on churches, Christianhomes and colonies. Were any of the attackers punished?
The Pakistani government has repeatedly failed to stop these horrific incidents from occurring. How many more innocent lives need to be shattered before something changes?
It is time for the world to take notice and for the Pakistani authorities to act decisively to protect Christians as citizens of Pakistan. We must stand together against this injustice and demand an end to this senseless violence.
What is more painful is that many people continue to claim on social media that Christians desecrate the holy Quran. This cycle of violence should end. The blasphemy laws in Pakistan have been misused for far too long, serving as a tool for personal vendettas and religious persecution.
Furthermore, there must be accountability for those who incite and participate in mob violence. The silent complicity of the police and other authorities cannot continue. Those who fail to protect the innocent and uphold the rule of law must be held accountable.
The government must take concrete steps to promote interfaith harmony and protect the rights of all its citizens. Educational reforms are needed to promote tolerance and understanding among different religious communities while media and civil society must also play a role in countering hate speech and promoting peace.
The voice of the marginalised and persecuted must be heard. We must amplify their cries for justice and stand in solidarity with them. The pain and suffering of Christian families in Pakistan are not just their burden to bear but a stain on the conscience of the entire nation. It is time for change, and it is time for justice. Enough is enough. — The writer is a human rights activist. She tweets @SaimaWilliams1
Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2024
Fact check: Christian man, son from Sargodha mob violence have not been killed
The incident in Sargodha is a heart-wrenching reminder of the unchecked mob violence that continues to plague our nation. Mobsters vandalised property and attempted to lynch a man after accusing him of blasphemy. Social media footage showed a mob surrounding a bloodied man and others, including teenagers, wrecking furniture. Another video showed a large blaze outside a house.
A statement from the Minority Rights March also said that videos of the incident showed the mob lynching a 70-year-old man “on the instigation of a local cleric” while the man’s home and factory were set ablaze.
Did this injured person surrounded by mob in the videos know at the time of the Jaranwala incident that he and his family would be next?
The videos of the attack clearly show officers of the Punjab police present there as silent spectators, which points towards their tacit approval and facilitation of the terrorists involved in the attack. Sargodha police claim to have arrested 15 people involved in the incident.
But the question is that 15 people were arrested in the Jaranwala case as well, and in dozens of previous cases of mob attacks on churches, Christianhomes and colonies. Were any of the attackers punished?
The Pakistani government has repeatedly failed to stop these horrific incidents from occurring. How many more innocent lives need to be shattered before something changes?
It is time for the world to take notice and for the Pakistani authorities to act decisively to protect Christians as citizens of Pakistan. We must stand together against this injustice and demand an end to this senseless violence.
What is more painful is that many people continue to claim on social media that Christians desecrate the holy Quran. This cycle of violence should end. The blasphemy laws in Pakistan have been misused for far too long, serving as a tool for personal vendettas and religious persecution.
Furthermore, there must be accountability for those who incite and participate in mob violence. The silent complicity of the police and other authorities cannot continue. Those who fail to protect the innocent and uphold the rule of law must be held accountable.
The government must take concrete steps to promote interfaith harmony and protect the rights of all its citizens. Educational reforms are needed to promote tolerance and understanding among different religious communities while media and civil society must also play a role in countering hate speech and promoting peace.
The voice of the marginalised and persecuted must be heard. We must amplify their cries for justice and stand in solidarity with them. The pain and suffering of Christian families in Pakistan are not just their burden to bear but a stain on the conscience of the entire nation. It is time for change, and it is time for justice. Enough is enough. — The writer is a human rights activist. She tweets @SaimaWilliams1
Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2024
Fact check: Christian man, son from Sargodha mob violence have not been killed
Published May 27, 2024
Multiple posts and an image circulating on social media since Sunday claimed that the Christian man subjected to mob violence in Sargodha over the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran was killed along with his son. However, a close relative has confirmed the claims to be false
The police on Saturday rescued the man as well as two Christian families from the enraged mob that wanted to lynch him and barge into the homes of some other members of the minority community.
The incident had taken place after some residents of the colony found burned pages near an electric pole and the houses of the Christian family.
On Sunday, an X user shared an image of a woman cradling a man with his eyes closed.
The caption said: “Protesting and crying for Palestine, while killing this innocent Christian brother and his father, over false blasphemy allegations, explains our hypocrisy. Each and every Pakistani, who was involved, must be arrested and an example should be made!”
The post gained over 16,000 views.
In a similar X post today, LUMS professor Dr Taimur Rahman said: “N* and his father were murdered over false blasphemy allegations. This is what mullahs can achieve even without state power. If they had state power, they will ensure that there would be no non-Muslims left in Pakistan.”
The post gained over 44,000 views and was also reshared by The News journalist Arshad Yousafzai.
However, a nephew of the victim told Dawn.com that he (his uncle) was “fine and alive” and has since been moved to a different hospital for treatment.
Sargodha Regional Police Officer Shariq Kamal also said on Sunday that there was “no casualty and no seriously injured [person]” in the incident .
Additionally, there were no reports or mention of the father or son being killed by Dawn.com’s correspondent or other credible news outlets in their coverage of the incident.
Furthermore, the claims also misattributed the man’s name, which has been withheld for security purposes, as being that of his son.
Therefore, Dawn.com has determined that the claims of a Christian man and his son lynched in Saturday’s act of mob violence in Sargodha are inaccurate. Both the family and police confirmed that there were no deaths and the circulating posts also misattributed the identity of the man.
The police on Saturday rescued the man as well as two Christian families from the enraged mob that wanted to lynch him and barge into the homes of some other members of the minority community.
The incident had taken place after some residents of the colony found burned pages near an electric pole and the houses of the Christian family.
On Sunday, an X user shared an image of a woman cradling a man with his eyes closed.
The caption said: “Protesting and crying for Palestine, while killing this innocent Christian brother and his father, over false blasphemy allegations, explains our hypocrisy. Each and every Pakistani, who was involved, must be arrested and an example should be made!”
The post gained over 16,000 views.
In a similar X post today, LUMS professor Dr Taimur Rahman said: “N* and his father were murdered over false blasphemy allegations. This is what mullahs can achieve even without state power. If they had state power, they will ensure that there would be no non-Muslims left in Pakistan.”
The post gained over 44,000 views and was also reshared by The News journalist Arshad Yousafzai.
However, a nephew of the victim told Dawn.com that he (his uncle) was “fine and alive” and has since been moved to a different hospital for treatment.
Sargodha Regional Police Officer Shariq Kamal also said on Sunday that there was “no casualty and no seriously injured [person]” in the incident .
Additionally, there were no reports or mention of the father or son being killed by Dawn.com’s correspondent or other credible news outlets in their coverage of the incident.
Furthermore, the claims also misattributed the man’s name, which has been withheld for security purposes, as being that of his son.
Therefore, Dawn.com has determined that the claims of a Christian man and his son lynched in Saturday’s act of mob violence in Sargodha are inaccurate. Both the family and police confirmed that there were no deaths and the circulating posts also misattributed the identity of the man.
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