GOJRA, PAKISTAN - In a fresh incident of violence by hardline Muslims against Pakistani Christians at least eight Christians have been burned alive and many others injured as a Muslim mob estimated to be over 1500 in number set ablaze some fifty houses in a Christian colony in district Gojra of the province Punjab of Pakistan over blasphemy accusations on Saturday, August 1.
ANS has discovered that Muslims were protesting in Gojra city against blasphemy committed by Talib Masih and his son Imran Masih. Gojra is Tehsil (administrative division) of district Toba Tek Singh.
The Muslim agitation took an ugly turn when the Muslim mob which was armed with firearms and chemical explosives started marching towards the Christian colony in Gojra.
The Christian residents of the colony fled to safety and some took to the rooftops. As on the attack that took place on July 30 in Korian the Muslim mob set ablaze fifty houses in the Christian colony by using petrol and chemical bombs. The fire engulfed eight Christians including four women, a man, a child and two other persons whose identities could not be ascertained by ANS.
Hameed Masih, Safia Bibi, Hanifa Bibi and Asia are among the eight killed.
ANS has also discovered that Muslims and Christians traded aerial firing of rifles after Muslims launched the attack on Christians of Gojra. The Muslim mob plundered and ransacked over a hundred Christian houses before setting them on fire. The attack created a serious law and order situation in the area, prompting closure of petrol pumps and train services.
Television footage showed baton-wielding crowds running through the streets, blocking traffic and a railway line. Ransacked furniture lay outside blackened and burning homes, while a group of people rushed a man with burn injuries on a wooden hand-pulled cart through the streets.
Sources told ANS that the Inspector General of Police, Commissioner Faisalabad, Tahir Hussain Regional Police Officer, Ahmad Raza Tahir arrived at the scene of incident. The Inspector General of Police Punjab has suspended the Deputy Superintendent of the Police for failing to prevent this attack. Tehsil (administrative division) Municipal Officer, Rana Muhammad Nawaz suffered injuries during August 1 violence. Five Police officials also sustained injuries during the attack. A TV cameraman, Rasheed Anjum of AAJ TV was allegedly beaten by the police when he refused to stop covering the ghastly scenes of violence on August 1.
Talking to ANS by phone Pakistan Federal Minister for Minorities, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti has vehemently condemned the latest attack on Christians of Gojra. ” This is a sad and condemnable act of violence. We equally share the grief and sorrow with Christian community who have been targeted by extremists.
” The inquiry would be held at the top level to unmask perpetrators of Gojra and Korian village violence. The culprits would be arrested.
” This is yet another example of how the blasphemy laws are playing havoc with the lives of innocent Christians of Pakistan. Blasphemy laws are against the inter-faith harmony and national unity as they are being used by religious extremists to persecute and victimize religious minorities.
” This violence could have been averted if the local administration had taken stringent measures to protect the lives and properties of Christians.
” An inquiry would also be held against the administration’s negligence in this matter. Pakistani minorities should forge unity in their ranks. They should pursue justice while remaining peaceful,” said Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti.
Mr. Bhatti termed the latest incident of violence against Pakistani Christians as an attempt to hamper the peace-building efforts to promote inter-faith harmony and national unity.
ANS has learned that the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, a leading umbrella representative organization of all religious minorities of Pakistan is going to stage protest demonstrations across the country to press the authorities to arrest perpetrators of Korian village and Gojra violence on July 31 and August 1 respectively. Protest demonstration against worst kind of attacks on innocent Pakistani Christians are going to be held in Pakistani cities of Lahore, Faisalabad and Sargodha on August 2 (Sunday). Sources in the APMA ranks confided in ANS that the protest demonstrations would continue until perpetrators of violence against Christians are arrested.
Catholic Bishop Joseph Coutts along with some Catholic priests including Director of Faisalabad Diocese’s Commission for Interfaith Harmony, Fr. Aftab James Paul, Fr. Pascal Paulus and Fr. Nisar Barkat visited the affected Christians and expressed solidarity with them. Bishop Joseph Coutts condemned the incident and appealed to the government to bring the culprits to justice. Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani have also condemned fresh incident of violence against Christians of Gojra.
Pakistan Provincial Law Minister of Province Punjab, Rana Sanaullah also joined the chorus of condemnation. Condemning back-to-back incidents of violence against Pakistani Christians the Minister reportedly said that the police did not play proactive role to avert the attacks which they were supposed to do. He further said in his statement that the attacks against Muslims were launched after rumours that Christians have committed blasphemy. According to media reports Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Shahbaz Sharif has said that those who have taken law into their own hands would be meted out strict punishment. Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has reportedly said that the Inquiry Commission would probe into the attacks against Christians.
ANS has discovered that the affected Christians are without food, water, electricity and shelter. The situation in the area is tense and the Christians are in a state of fear and uncertainty. Security of Churches across Province Punjab in General and in district Toba Tek Singh has been put on high alert to avert any further possible eventuality. Rangers have been called in to control the law and order situation.
Some 200 Christian families lived in the colony that came under fresh Muslim attack on August 1. Pakistan High Court has taken Suo Moto action in the wake of fresh attack on Christians.
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