Ahmed Mukhtar Naqshbandi
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the lynching of a 35-year-old man who was arrested on charges of blasphemy in Nankana Sahib district, Punjab.
As visible from the videos shared on social media, the mob stormed the police station where the man was being held and lynched him.
The victim was accused of desecrating a copy of the Holy Qur’an, and local residents claimed he was involved in practicing witchcraft.
In a clip, the charged mob could be seen scaling the boundary wall of the police station and opening the gate from inside, which paved the way for the horde.
According to a statement from the Punjab Police, Inspector General (IG) Usman Anwar suspended two senior police officers on Saturday for failing to prevent the mob-led killing.
The suspended police officers include Nankana Sahib Circle Deputy Superintendent of Police Nawaz Waraq and Warburton Station House Officer Feroz Bhatti.
Strict action against people involved in Nankana Sahib incident
IG Punjab said in a statement that no one is allowed to take the law into their hands no matter how influential they are. He added, “Strict departmental and legal action will be taken against those responsible for the incident, as well as the perpetrators of negligence and incompetence.”
In response to the Nankana Sahib incident, PM Shehbaz Sharif launched an investigation and expressed his concern about the failure of the police to stop the violent mob.
Through a statement, he emphasized that the rule of law must be upheld, and no one should be allowed to interfere with the legal process.
The premier emphasized that maintaining peace and order is the primary responsibility of the institutions involved.
The Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, also condemned the incident, expressing regret over the charged mob’s attack on the individual accused of blasphemy.
