LAHORE: A middle-aged man was stoned to death by a mob over alleged desecration of the Holy Quran in a remote village of Khanewal district on Saturday.

The killing comes on the heels of an identical incident in Sialkot, where a Sri Lan­kan engineer was lynched by factory workers on Dec 3 last year on blasphemy charges.

The Saturday incident took place in Jungle Dera village where hundreds of loc­als gathered after Magh­rib pra­yers following annou­n­cements that a man had torn some pages of the Holy Quran and later set them on fire.

With no one ready to listen to the suspect, who rep­orte­dly claimed innocence, the villagers first hanged him with a tree and then hit him with bricks, until he died.

According to an eyewitness, a police team which reached the village well before stoning arrested the suspect but the growing mob snatched him from the SHO’s custody. Chief Minis­ter Usman Buzdar sought a report from IGP Rao Sardar Ali Khan.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2022

Opinion

Editorial

IMF chief’s advice
Updated 23 Sep, 2023

IMF chief’s advice

Pakistan's prolonged fiscal deficit, surpassing 7pc, stems from the government's reluctance to widen the tax base.
No closure
Updated 23 Sep, 2023

No closure

WHAT is a Pakistani life worth in the eyes of the state? Clearly not enough, if one were to draw a comparison with...
Missing footballers
23 Sep, 2023

Missing footballers

IN the nation’s living memory, Balochistan’s burns have never run dry. The province has grappled with historical...
Lawless city
22 Sep, 2023

Lawless city

A GRIM milestone has just been passed in Karachi. The recent death of a teenage robbery victim brings the number of...
Another Sharif trip
22 Sep, 2023

Another Sharif trip

THE sudden arrival of former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif in London, a mere 48 hours after he touched down in...
Delayed elections
Updated 22 Sep, 2023

Delayed elections

If ECP wishes to affirm that it is serious, it should start moving on all pending matters so that the possibility of any further delay is minimised.