Pakistan: Residents flee their homes amid fears of Muslim backlash following a Christian accused of blasphemy

Image: Jihad Watch

LAHORE, Pakistan (Christian Daily International–Morning Star News) – On November 3, residents in a Lahore neighborhood fled their homes out of fear of Islamist backlash following the arrest of a Christian man under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, sources reported.

Panic spread in Ward No. 12 of Kahna, Lahore, Punjab Province, after local Muslims accused Zafar Iqbal of burning Quranic pages in his home's courtyard, according to rights activist Napolean Qayyum.

“As news circulated, many Christian families locked their doors and sought refuge elsewhere, fearing an attack similar to the Jaranwala incident,” he said.

The First Information Report (FIR) filed by Kahna police identifies the complainant as Qari Mujahid Abbas Fareedi, the imam of Noorani Mosque in Kahna. He reported that after leading the afternoon prayers, two local Muslims informed him that Iqbal was burning Quranic pages in his courtyard.

“When the complainant and others went to Iqbal’s house, they found him standing beside the burning papers,” Qayyum explained. “Upon examining the ashes, they discovered they were Quranic pages.”

The FIR states that the complainant and other Muslims immediately detained Iqbal and called the police, Qayyum added.

As word of the alleged blasphemy spread, many Christian residents fled their homes, and members of Islamist groups, including the extremist Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), began gathering in the area, Qayyum said.

“The residents feared violence, so they left as a precaution,” he said. “However, the swift intervention of senior officials and the suspect’s arrest helped calm the religious activists and prevented violence against other Christians.”

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)