Ajit Karn
In the latest incidence of religiously-motivated violence in the Islamic republic, a mob stormed a police station in eastern Pakistan on Saturday and murdered a man in detention who was suspected of blasphemy, authorities said.
Numerous instances of vigilante action by mobs against persons suspected of blasphemy have occurred in Sri Lanka, including the murder of a Sri Lankan manager of a clothing business in 2021.
Muhammad Waris, a guy in his early 20s, was arrested on Saturday after a crowd reportedly assaulted him for desecrating the Quran, the Muslim holy book, according to police spokesperson Muhammad Waqas.
Mr. Waqas claimed that the mob invaded the station in the city of Nankana Sahib, carried Waris outside, beat him to death, and tried to set his corpse on fire.
“Police were unable to fight them since only a few officials were present at the police station,” he added, adding that police reinforcements were able to prevent the mob from torching the corpse and are preparing to take action against the mob.
A video of the event, which was uploaded on social media and authenticated by the police, shows a guy being carried through the streets by his legs, stripped of his clothing, and beaten with clubs and metal rods.
International rights organisations have long criticised Pakistani authorities for not doing more to halt the prevalence of blasphemy-related murders in the mostly Muslim nation.
Blasphemy is a felony punishable by the death penalty under Pakistani law.
Six men were convicted to death for murdering the boss of a Sri Lankan textile business in a mass trial involving 89 accused, after national and international outcry. However, such actions are seldom taken in other circumstances.
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According to a police statement, a number of police officers have been suspended due to their failure to control the crowd.
According to the government, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken note of the occurrence and ordered an investigation.
