LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Monday framed charges against 116 suspects involved in torching the churches and damaging public and private property in the Joseph Colony incident.

More than 3,000 Muslims rampaged through Joseph Colony, torching around 100 homes of the Christian community after the allegation of blasphemy against Sawan Masih.

The judge indicted 116 suspects after hearing the prosecution. The judge directed the police to produce six prosecution witnesses to record their statements on the next hearing on April 6.

Sawan Masih was convicted and sentenced to death by a local court for insulting the Prophet of Islam.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2015

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