Social, Religious and Political threats are increasing for minorities in Pakistan

Man accused of blasphemy stoned to death by mob in Khanewal, Pakistan

A man accused of burning pages of the Holy Quran was tortured and killed by a mob in Punjab's Khanewal district in Pakistan. local police allowed the accused to leave the police station in Mia Chunnu allegedly to present themselves. The mob was reportedly present at the same place. The victim was then dragged to a nearby place, tortured and killed and the police played the role of a silent spectator.

In view of the tragic incident in the Khanewal area, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar sought a report from IG Punjab Rao Sardar Ali Khan.

Buzdar said, “Strict legal action should be taken against those involved in the tragic incident by bringing them to justice”. According to media reports, the victim of the grim incident was a beggar and was accused of trying to burn pages of the Holy Quran inside a local mosque.

It is to note that the latest incident reported from Pakistan is not the first such time when citizens became judges, jury and even executioners. In November 2021, a mob ended up vandalising a police station in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district and set it on fire. It was after the authorities refused to hand over the man who was arrested for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran.

Sri Lankan man tortured & killed in Pakistan over ‘blasphemy’

In December 2021, a Sri Lankan man, Priyantha Diyawadana, was tortured, killed and then set on fire after being accused of blasphemy over some posters that he had allegedly taken down. The widely reported incident involved a Sri Lankan national who worked as general manager of a factory of the industrial engineering company Rajco Industries in Sialkot, Punjab.

He was set upon by a violent crowd on 3 December 2021. The horrific images and videos also emerged on social media that showed Diyawadana being thrown on the floor where hundreds of people had started tearing his clothes and violently beating him.