Pakistan: Man burned to death by angry muslim mob
Man burned to death by angry muslim mob over blasphemy allegations in Pakistan
Pakistan: Tourist accused of blasphemy killed by muslim mob in Pakistan
A 36-year-old man has been killed and his body burned in Pakistan’s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after he was accused of desecrating the Quran, the book of muslims.
A tourist has been dragged from a police station and killed by muslim mob in north-west Pakistan after being accused of blasphemy. On Thursday 20 JUNE 2024.
The muslim mob had gathered after the man was accused of desecrating the Quran, Islam’s book.
After initially rescuing the man from a muslim crowd, the police took him to the station in Madyan, but announcements from mosque loudspeakers asked locals to come out, after which the muslim mob stormed the station and people set fire to the police station and a police vehicle and burnt man alive.
Lynchings are common in Pakistan, an Islamic republic where blasphemy can legally carry the death penalty.
Last month, in Sargodha, Punjab, a 70-year-old Christian man was attacked and seriously injured by a group of muslim people, who accused him of desecrating the Quran. The group then started a riot, setting shops on fire and damaging houses belonging to other Christian families in the area.
In yet another incident in February last year, in Nankana Sahib, Punjab, an angry muslim group attacked a police station and killed a man who had been accused of blasphemy after forcibly removing him from police custody.
In August 2023, Christian communities in Punjab’s Jaranwala town faced widespread attacks on their homes and churches following accusations of Quran desecration by two brothers. More than 22 churches were burned down, and nearly 100 houses were damaged.
The identity of the suspect has yet to be confirmed, but media reports suggest he was a tourist staying at a local hotel.
Our hearts are heavy with the news of yet another extra judicial killing following an accusation of blasphemy in Pakistan. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the victim and call on the police to ensure that all those responsible for his murder are brought to justice. Pakistan must do far more to prevent such horrific acts of violence, including by ending any and all impunity that surrounds those who take the law into their own hands, and repealing the blasphemy laws which are incompatible with the country’s commitments to freedom of religion or belief.’