‘Mob Burns Churches: 129 Arrested After Pakistan Blasphemy Riots’.
Police in eastern Pakistan arrested 129 Muslims overnight after a Muslim mob angered over an alleged desecration of the Quran attacked churches and homes of minority Christians, prompting authorities to summon soldiers to restore order, officials said Thursday.
The Christians living in the city of Jaranwala in the Faisalabad district quickly moved to safer places as the mob rampaged Wednesday, and there were no casualties from what was one of the country’s most destructive attacks against Christians.
They slowly returned home to see the destruction Thursday.
At least one church was burned, four were damaged and two dozen homes were torched or badly damaged.
“We were sitting at home when suddenly we heard that a mob is coming and it is burning homes and attacking churches,” Shazia Amjad said as she wept outside her torched home.
She told The Associated Press that the mob burned household items and furniture and some of her possessions were stolen while she was staying with her family in a safer place.
Amjad said the rioters sprinkled petrol to burn homes.
Other Christians described similar ordeals and expressed bewilderment.
Azeem Masih wept as he sat outside his burned home on a street where several were burned.
He said some of the rioters brought vehicles to take the Christians’ household items after burning their furniture and other belongings. “Why did they do it to us? We had not done anything wrong,” he said.
Local Christians consoled each other outside their damaged homes, wept, and those who lost their homes had no idea where to go or what to do now.
Delegations of Muslim clerics arrived in Jaranwala to help calm the situation, as troops and police patrolled the area.
Local authorities have shut schools and offices and banned rallies for a week to prevent more violence.
The violence drew nationwide condemnation, with caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul-ul-Haq Kakar ordering police to ensure the rioters are arrested.
On Thursday the regional police chief said 129 suspects had been arrested and the situation was under control.
#Pakistan #christians #mobs #news
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