Pakistan: Mob attacks christians over blasphemy allegations - WATCH

Hundreds of people in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province attacked a Christian community over blasphemy allegations, officials said.

The mob attack occurred in the Mujahid Colony area of the city of Sargodha.

Pakistan: Christians were attacked again, an old Christian man was killed after accusing him of alleged blasphemy and desecrating Quran, churches and homes of Christians were set on fire.

No one marches for Christians!
No campus protests!pic.twitter.com/PSrdNJwdWg

— Azat Alsalem (@AzzatAlsaalem) May 25, 2024

What else do we know about the attacks?

The mob alleged that a Christian had desecrated Islam's holy book, the Quran.

Police said that the man's small shoemaking factory was burned down in the violence.

#UnsafePakistan
Yesterday, zombie mob once again created a ruckus in Pakistan over 'blasphemy'. It was alleged that a Christian family had burnt the Quran. #TejRan #HardikPandya #Rajkot #IPLFinal #AEWCollision pic.twitter.com/6pJxMkr9BJ

— Saraswati Devi (@saraswatidev93) May 26, 2024

Officers rescued at least five people from the violence, Sargodha police chief Sariq Khan was cited by the Reuters news agency as saying. He said that all five had been taken to the hospital.

Graphic warning
Another day, another mob another barbarism. A bloodthirsty mob burnt alive,a Christian man accused of blasphemy. Once again, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan failed to save Christian community.#Sargodha #Blasphemy https://t.co/2Zl32TcPyA

— Sadia hOcane (@SadiaahOcane) May 26, 2024

Khan said that rioters hurled stones and bricks at police.

District police chief Ijaz Malhi told the Associated Press news agency that the situation was under control, adding that police were investigating the blasphemy allegations.

He said that officers had dispersed the crowd and were seeking help from religious scholars to defuse tensions.

Violence against Pakistan's Christians

Islam is Pakistan's official religion and is professed by over 96% of the South Asian country's residents. Christians are Pakistan's second-largest minority group, making up around 1.3% of the population.

Under Pakistan's blasphemy laws, the death penalty can be given to anyone convicted of insulting Islam.

While no-one has been executed for blasphemy, accusations have led to riots and mob violence.

In August of last year, mobs burned churches and attacked dozens in the Jaranwala area of Punjab province after Muslim residents claimed they saw Christians tearing out pages from the Quran.

In 2009, six Christians were killed and dozens of homes were burned down in the district of Gojra in central Punjab.