MULTAN, Pakistan — Angry Muslims went on a rampage Wednesday, attacking a Christian area in eastern Pakistan, burning a church and damaging two others, police said. The mob also demolished a man’s house after accusing him of desecrating Islam’s holy book and attacked several other Christian homes.
The attacks in Jaranwala, in the district of Faisalabad in Punjab province, erupted after some Muslims living in the area claimed that a local Christian, Raja Amir, and his friend had torn out pages from a Quran, thrown them on the ground and written insulting remarks on others.
Police chief Rizwan Khan said this angered the local Muslims. A mob gathered and began attacking multiple churches and several Christian homes, burning furniture and other household items. Some members of the Christian community fled their homes to escape the mob.
There were no immediate reports of any casualties.
Police eventually intervened, firing into the air and wielding batons before dispersing the attackers with the help of Muslim clerics and elders. Authorities also said they have started launching raids in an effort to find all the perpetrators.
Videos and photos posted on social media show an angry mob descending upon a church, throwing pieces of bricks and burning it. In another video, two other churches are attacked, their windows broken as attackers throw furniture out and set it on fire.
In the videos, several policemen are seen watching the situation without intervening to stop the vandalism.
In this photo provided by district police office, a police officer pours water into a burning house at a Christian neighborhood following angry mob attacked, in Jaranwala near Faisalabad, Pakistan, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. A Muslim mob stormed a Christian locality in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, burning three churches and demolishing the house of a man after accusing him of desecrating the pages of Islam’s holy book, police said. Credit: AP
Khan said additional police forces were…
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