Islamic extremists Saturday set ablaze more than 50 houses and a church in the town of Gojra in northeastern Pakistan following an accusation of “blasphemy” of the Quran, leaving at least 14 Christians dead, sources said, according to a report by Compass Direct News.
The dead include women and children, with several other burn victims unable to reach hospitals for medical care, according to the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS). The attack came amid a protest by thousands of Muslim Islamists – including members of banned militant groups – that resulted in another six people dying when participants shot at police and officers responded with tear gas and gunfire, according to Compass.
The same rumor of desecration of the Quran that led to Saturday’s massive protest and attack in Gojra, 31 miles from Faisalabad, also prompted an arson assault on Thursday by Islamic extremists on the village of Korian, seven miles from Gojra, that gutted 60 houses, reported Compass.
According to the Associated Press, Pakistani Christians were closing their schools across the country for three days starting today to protest the killings of members of their community by Muslims, violence that drew condemnation from Pope Benedict XVI.
Punjab Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah reportedly said an initial investigation of allegations of the Quran being blasphemed indicated “there has not been any incident of desecration.”
Because of the earlier assault in Korian, Pakistani officials were already in the area and had sought reinforcements to help control the demonstration Saturday in Gojra, but security forces were slow to respond, according to CLAAS.
“There were unaccountable people in the mob and they were out of control because only four police constables were trying to stop the mob of thousands of people,” a CLAAS report said.
Crowd size and attacks grew, and Islamists managed to block main roads and railways to keep fire brigades from fighting the house fires, according to CLAAS.
With authorities also blocking roads to keep more Muslim extremists from entering from neighboring villages, clerics at local mosques broadcast messages that those “who love Muhammad and Islam should gather with them to defend the Islam because it is in danger,” according to CLAAS and reported by Compass.
In response to the police road closures, Islamists became more aggressive and began burning property using firearms and explosives in nearby hamlets where primarily Christians live, according to CLAAS.
“About 20 houses have been burnt in Chauck No. 424, and valuable things have been stolen from about 100 Christian houses,” according to the CLAAS statement.
Asam Masih, a Christian in Gojra, said that that women and children were severely burned and had no way to get to a hospital, according to CLAAS, which was helping to transport victims for medical care.
Islamists set on fire a Catholic church on Sumandri road and destroyed it using firearms and explosives, according to CLAAS.
“50 houses are burned and totally destroyed,” the CLAAS statement read. “14 people including children, women and men are expired.”
Pakistan is ranked No. 13 on the 2009 Open Doors World Watch List of 50 countries which are the worst persecutors of Christians.
