SARGODHA: Police in Sargodha’s urban area have detained 26 persons for mob violence and a recent attempt to lynch a Christian man. A charge has also been filed against 44 nominated and 300–400 unidentified suspects. Under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997, the state filed a complaint. In addition, the police filed a blasphemy complaint against the Christian Mujahid Colony resident who had been severely beaten by the crowd but had managed to escape the attempted lynching. He was charged based on the testimony of Muhammad Jahangir, a Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan activist.
Regarding the event, a local neighbor who wished to remain anonymous informed Dawn that although no one witnessed the Christian guy lighting some pages of the Holy Quran on fire, they were discovered burned on the cover of a water pump next to his house. He said that the man’s family was modest and had no reputation for such immoral behavior. The Christian man was attacked on Saturday by a group of religious individuals who intended to lynch him. According to the mob violence complaint that Station House Officer (SHO) Shahid Iqbal filed, a group of neighbors tried to break into the man’s house by gathering in front of it with weapons, sticks, and stones.
The mob tried to break into the man’s house from the nearby roofs and set fire to his son’s shoe unit, despite attempts by the police, the Sargodha Peace Committee and other locals to disperse the crowd and mediate a peaceful resolution. Outside the man’s house, the mob set fire to and damaged the outdoor air conditioning units and power meters. The man was saved from the burning residence by SHO Iqbal and other responding law enforcement officers. But as soon as they dragged him outside, the crowd encircled them, beating them with sticks and throwing stones, seriously hurting the man.
According to the FIR, ladies were present in the throng and encouraged violence. Attempting to murder, impeding public officials from carrying out their duties, attacking a public official, and mischief by fire or explosive substance to damage a house or cause death or harm were among the various sections of the ATA and PPC under which the complaint was filed. Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal and Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. Usman Anwar visited Sargodha after the event to examine the crime scene. They were grateful for the police’s prompt response and the peace committee members’ efforts to uphold security and tranquility. Following the incident, Punjab’s home secretary was contacted by Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora, who took note of the alleged blasphemy.
Mr. Arora told the residents of Sargodha that law enforcement was looking into the matter and pleaded with them not to take the law into their own hands. He underlined that everyone had a responsibility to create a peaceful society and that insulting any faith would not be tolerated. More than a thousand security guards were stationed at the churches on Sunday, and the protection of every church in the district was strengthened under the direction of Sargodha District Police Officer Dr. Asad Ijaz Malhi.
In support of upholding law and order and putting Section 144 into effect, the SP Headquarters Ziaullah organized a flag march across Sargodha City. The march began and finished at the same location, traversing Club Chowk, Khayam Chowk, Noori Gate, Block 12 Chowk, Basti Chishtian, Ali Park, Gulwala, Kot Farid, Mujahid Colony, Zafar Colony, Satellite Town, and other routes. The march was attended by the DSP Traffic, DSP Headquarters, Elite Force, and Muhafiz Squad. Speaking to the media, SP Headquarters Ziaullah stated that Section 144 had been enforced in the city for seven days following the sad Mujahid Colony event. Sit-ins and protests are prohibited.
“Sargodha’s security was on high alert, and the police were prepared to handle any emergency,” he stated. “The flag march is intended to instill a sense of security among the people and send a clear message to the miscreants.” The officer declared that all forms of provocative statements, the use of loudspeakers, wall-chalking, and the printing and distribution of provocative leaflets were strictly prohibited. Central Committee for Ruet-i-Hilal A news conference was conducted at the Sargodha commissioner’s office by Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabeer Azad, the chairman of Pakistan and Imam Badshahhi Masjid, together with intellectuals from various schools of thought and Christian leaders. According to Mr. Azad, the entire country bears a shared duty to safeguard Pakistan.
It is our duty and a component of our faith to revere and safeguard all books of the divine. Minority rights are mandated to be protected by Islam, and all minorities’ rights are guaranteed by the Pakistani Constitution. Nobody in the nation may establish their court. He claimed that anti-national forces aimed to undermine national cohesion in Pakistan by inciting anarchy and religious rioting. He said that everyone had a responsibility to uphold human rights, create a society free from violence, foster religious harmony, and spread the word about Pakistan. He also praised Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for their prompt notice of the tragedy at Mujahid Colony.
According to Archbishop Sabatin Shane, Christians’ love for the nation was a component of their faith, which called for the nation to be free of disorder. “The most pressing need of the hour in Pakistan is inter-ethnic and inter-religious harmony,” he continued. Other speakers at the news conference urged creating a prosperous, safe, and secure nation. Along with Ulema, Christian leaders, and other law enforcement and administrative personnel, those in attendance included Commissioner Sargodha Division Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti, Regional Police Officer Shariq Kamal Siddiqui, Deputy Commissioner retired Captain Aurangzeb Haider Khan, and DPO Dr. Asad Ijaz Malhi. Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabeer Azad later presided over the peace committee meeting and emphasized love and peace.
