World
Pakistan: Imran Khan Party Rally Turns Violent, Local Cleric Lynched To Death Over “Blasphemous” Remarks
Imran Khan Niazi (representive image)
In a disturbing incident in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, a man was publicly beaten to death by a mob for allegedly making “blasphemous” remarks during an opposition party rally.
Nigar Alam, a local cleric, was asked to give a speech at a rally organised by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Saturday night at Sawaldher village in Mardan, a district where a university student was previously killed over similar allegations, reports TOI.
When Alam allegedly “passed blasphemous remarks” as the gathering was about to conclude, he was killed by hundreds of people attending the rally of the PTI's local chapter.
“We have filed a first information report where the police itself is the complainant, but due to the sensitivity of the matter, the FIR is sealed,” the officer added.
The footage of the lynching has been extensively circulated on social media, depicting law enforcement officers vainly attempting to halt a frenzied mob from assaulting the individual.
In February this year, an angry mob entered a police station in Lahore, snatched a blasphemy-accused from his cell and brutally killed him.
In April, a Chinese engineer identified as "Mr Tian" was arrested and charged after a mob attempted to attack him for allegedly making derogatory comments and gestures towards Allah and the Prophet.
On social media, a video circulated showing the victim being set on fire while a crowd of thousands chanted slogans of “Gustaakh-e-Nabi ki ek saza, sar tan se juda sar tan se juda."
