Punjab Inspector Normal of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar on Saturday mentioned that at the least 15 suspects had been arrested after two Christian households had been rescued from an enraged mob that attacked their properties in Sargodha’s Mujahid Colony on Saturday morning.
Sargodha District Police Officer (DPO) Asad Ejaz Malhi earlier informed Daybreak.com that the incident stemmed from alleged desecration, however emphasised that a big police contingent was deployed and no fatalities had been reported.
“When police arrived, the mob had gathered outdoors the homes. Officers cordoned off the world and safely evacuated all residents,” Malhi mentioned, including that extra police models had been stationed all through town to make sure the security of the Christian group.
“The police peacefully dispersed the group,” he added.
Social media footage depicted a mob surrounding a bloodied man and others, together with youngsters, wrecking furnishings. One other video confirmed a big blaze outdoors a home. DPO Malhi claimed they had been “pretend movies”, insisting nobody was injured.
“The police are sustaining regulation and order,” he mentioned.
Nonetheless, a relative of an injured particular person contradicted this, telling Daybreak.com that his uncle was in essential situation at a hospital and the household was not being allowed to satisfy him.
A press release from Minority Rights March additionally mentioned that movies of the incident
confirmed the mob lynching of a 70year-old man “on the instigation
of a neighborhood cleric” whereas the person’s residence and manufacturing facility had been set ablaze.
“The movies of the assault clearly present officers of the Punjab police being current on the positioning as silent spectators which factors in the direction of their tacit approval and facilitation of the terrorists concerned within the assault,” the assertion mentioned.
A press release from the Punjab police mentioned Sargodha Regional Police Officer Shariq Kamal, DPO Malhi and different police officers responded promptly as quickly because the incident was reported and reached the spot instantly, managing to save lots of 10 lives and controlling the scenario.
“There was no lack of life, greater than 10 cops and personnel had been additionally injured as a consequence of stone pelting by the indignant individuals. The Sargodha police risked their lives to rescue the households and pulled them out from the group. Due to the well timed motion of the police. Sargodha was spared an ideal tragedy,” the assertion mentioned, including that the scenario within the metropolis was “fully peaceable and beneath management”.
It praised members of the district peace committee and the Christian group for taking part in an “efficient function in restoring the ambiance of understanding and peace”.
“Greater than 2,000 officers and males of Sargodha police are on safety obligation. Nobody shall be allowed to misbehave. Residents are requested to help the police to cope with miscreants,” the assertion quoted DPO Malhi as saying.
Later, an announcement from the Punjab police mentioned that IGP Anwar additionally visited the crime scene the place he was briefed concerning the scenario, in addition to the steps taken for the regulation and order scenario.
He additionally met with the district peace committee and members of the Christian group and recommended cops for risking their lives to save lots of residents.
“Well timed response and motion by Sargodha Police prevented main losses. Happy with the brave younger officers of Sargodha police. These concerned within the tragic incident shall be given the deserved punishment,” he was quoted as saying within the assertion.
Individually, he informed Daybreak.com that 15 to twenty arrests had been made out of the spot, including that additional suspects can be detained after figuring out them from movies and different sources.
In response to the incident, Punjab Residence Affairs Secretary Noor-ul-Amin Mengal departed to examine the positioning on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, a press assertion mentioned.
Mengal will evaluation the causes and the investigation of the incident, and has ordered all senior officers to analyze each side. He’ll assess the regulation and order scenario as per the chief minister’s directions, the assertion added.
“Pakistan belongs to all of us; no injustice shall be tolerated beneath the guise of faith. Motion shall be taken based on the regulation after an entire investigation,” Mengal was quoted as saying.
‘Peace committee’
Sargodha DPO Malhi also announced that a district peace committee, comprising district administration officials and religious scholars from both Muslim and minority communities, would evaluate the situation and issue a statement. The Christian community is also expected to release a statement.
Regarding the suspect, DPO Malhi said the individual was in custody, and further investigation was under way, although he could not confirm if the alleged desecration had occurred.
Mohsin Malhi, a Sargodha resident, told Dawn.com that two houses and a factory were set on fire.
The incident evoked memories of a similar attack in Jaranwala final August, the place a mob rampaged by a predominantly Christian neighbourhood, torching dozens of homes and church buildings.
Condemnations
The Human Rights Fee of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed critical concern concerning the unfolding scenario in Sargodha, notably in Gillwala village, the place the Christian group was reportedly at grave threat. “There are unconfirmed experiences of a person being lynched,” HRCP acknowledged on X.
The HRCP urged Punjab Police and district administration to “instantly restore calm and produce the perpetrators to justice whereas guaranteeing the Christian group’s security”.
Minority Rights March mentioned: “This assault as soon as once more factors in the direction of the sheer failure of the state and regulation enforcement businesses in curbing rising extremism regardless of repeated directives from the Supreme Courtroom as properly.”
It mentioned it condemned the “failure” of the Punjab authorities and police for “failing to study from the Jaranwala assault final 12 months and taking any concrete measures to curtail the rising radicalism.
“We condemn the state of facilitating once-banned outfits reminiscent of TLP (Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan), leading to a Pakistan which is changing into unlivable for spiritual minorities with every passing day.”
The group demanded an “expeditious inquiry and motion by a judicial fee and the one-man fee led by Dr Shoaib Suddle … not solely in opposition to the mob concerned within the assault however in opposition to the police officers and officers of the Punjab authorities who did not take preemptive measures.”
It additionally demanded that any member of the Christian group falsely
accused of blasphemy be offered safety and no false circumstances be lodged in opposition to them.
The group additionally demanded quick motion to regulate the regulation and order scenario in Sargodha and for the police to make sure no vandalism or ransacking of residences belonging to the Christian group.
Human rights lawyer and politician Jibran Nasir noticed the parallels on this newest incident to the one in Jaranwala, saying it was “one other Jaranwala model assault on Christians in Sargodha with [a] mob attacking local people, burning and ransacking property”.
Taking to X, he denounced the “failure of the State to take any critical and honest motion in opposition to perpetrators of the Jaranwala incident” and the way it “has solely emboldened those that exploit spiritual sentiments for his or her legal acts”.