TOBA TEK SINGH: In the ongoing investigation of the Jaranwala Quran desecration case, one of the arrested suspects has told police that he hired a hitman, Allah Ditta Maseeh, and provided him with money and motorcycle to eliminate his opponent, the main suspect in the desecration incident.

When Ditta’s attempt to assassinate the target failed, the suspect devised a plan involving the desecration of the Quran to frame his opponent.

Sources say that the suspect had suspicion that his target had illicit relations with his wife.

A spokesperson of Faisalabad district police confirmed the arrest of Ditta, who is currently under investigation by a team of senior police officers.

Meanwhile, Minorities Alliance Pakistan chief Akmal Bhatti has rejected “new version” of police into the case.

He said previously the inspector general of police had wrongly claimed in his press conference that foreign hand was behind the desecration conspiracy but now again another false claim had been made.

He said the Christian community had no hope of justice from police due to its defective and bias approach.

Also, prominent Muslim clerics, members of the peace committee, and officers from the Faisalabad police force joined the Sunday prayer services at the Salvation Army Church in Telephone Exchange Chowk and the Catholic Church in Chamra Mandi, expressing their solidarity with the Christian community.

Among those in attendance were Maulana Fazal Rasool Rizwi, Allama Muhammad Sikandar Zaki, Haji Habibullah Attar, Mian Waqas Khalid, Waseem Tariq, Syed Tatheer Hussain Shah, Rana Adil Farooq and police officers.

Pastor Major Mashooq and Fr Khalid thanked the visitors and reiterated the historical contributions of Christians to the nation’s development.

The religious scholars said the rights of minorities in Islam and vehemently condemned the acts of vandalism in Jaranwala on August 16.

RAPE: A man allegedly raped a woman at gunpoint in Shorkot’s Nawan Sheher locality on Sunday, under the pretext of showing her a rental property.

The complainant reported to Shorkot City police that the suspect, along with an unidentified accomplice, took her to a hotel near the Shashmahi Canal bridge, where the rape occurred.

A medical examination conducted by a female medical officer at the Shorkot THQ Hospital confirmed the rape. Police have arrested the suspect.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2023