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An emotionally charged mob that gathered outside the houses of members the Christian community in Sargodha on Saturday was dispersed, and two families were rescued, a police official said.
Sargodha District Police Officer Asad Ejaz Malhi confirmed that the incident occurred in Mujahid Colony in Sargodha over alleged desecretion, but stressed that a large contingent of police was deployed in the district and that there have been no casualties.
Unverified footage on social media showed a mob surrounding an injured man and separate videos showing men, some of whom appeared to be teens, wrecking furniture outside a house. A video shot from a separate angle showed a blaze of what appeared to be furniture.
DPO Malhi, however, dismissed the narrative on social media as fake, and said a man fell, which is why he had injuries.
The incident brought back memories of the harrowing incident in Jaranwala in August last year, where a mob rampaged through a Christian neighbourhood and torched dozens of houses and churches.
Human rights lawyer and politician Jibran Nasir saw the parallels in this latest incident to the one in Jaranwala, saying it was “another Jaranwala style attack on Christians in Sargodha with [a] mob attacking local community, burning and ransacking property”.
Taking to X, he denounced the “failure of the State to take any serious and sincere action against perpetrators of the Jaranwala incident” and how it “has only emboldened those who exploit religious sentiments for their criminal acts”.
This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.
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