At least 100 individuals have been apprehended in Punjab province for their involvement in attacking Christian churches amidst rumors of alleged insults to the Quran and blasphemy by Christian worshipers. The police confirmed these arrests, as reported by The Express Tribune.
The situation in the city of Faisalabad, where the attacks on Christian churches occurred, has now been stabilized and is under the control of the authorities. To ensure security, around 6,000 police special forces have been deployed in the city, with heightened security measures implemented in areas where Christians reside. Stringent measures have been taken to prevent any further unrest, including the prohibition of large gatherings in Faisalabad.
The series of attacks on five Christian churches were triggered by the circulation of photos and videos showing burnt pages of the Quran, allegedly committed by two members of the local Christian community. This incident led to the violent assaults on the churches.
Local media reports suggest that the radicalization of Muslim sentiments in Faisalabad, which culminated in the violence, might have been influenced by cases of alleged Quran desecration in countries like Sweden and the Netherlands.
Blasphemy is considered a grave offense under Pakistani law and is punishable by death. While no executions have taken place under this charge, the country has witnessed the killing of 89 individuals on allegations of blasphemy and Quran desecration since its inception in 1947. The most recent incident of religiously motivated killing occurred in Pakistan just last week.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Bilalhassan88/Creative Commons 3.0
Based on materials from TASS