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Attacked Christians of Kasur to protest today

By Ali Usman

LAHORE: Christian families from Bahmniwala village in Kasur, attacked by a mob for alleged blasphemy at the instigation of a local cleric and some influential people, will protest outside the Lahore Press Club on Monday (today) against the police for not arresting any of the accused.

Daily Times has learnt that the provincial minister for human rights and minority affairs, the provincial minister for religious affairs, the Lahore commissioner, the district coordination officer (DCO) and the Kasur district police officer (DPO) have visited the area so far. Federal Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti visited the village on Saturday and announced financial assistance for the families whose houses were attacked and torched.

However, the Christian families who were targeted told Daily Times that they wanted justice instead of financial assistance, adding that peace between the Christian and Muslim communities should not be made at the cost of letting the culprits go scot-free.

Bahmniwala is home to some 125 Christian families, who have lived there for over one-and-a-half centuries. A fight between a Muslim and a Christian boy last week flared into a communal confrontation.

Even though the situation is now under control, and peace has been restored, the Christians demand justice and punishment for those who attacked them and burnt their homes.

Local Christian residents told Daily Times that police contingents were still deployed in the village. They said the cleric who is allegedly responsible for the incident, is still at large, and those who led the mob are still living in the village.

Federal Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti told Daily Times he had immediately ordered that an FIR be registered after he visited the area. He said he had expressed solidarity with the victims and asked a team to assess the losses that they had suffered. “We will protect the rights of the minorities for sure. The culprits behind this entire episode will not be spared and punished. Justice will be provided,” he said. He said staging a protest was everyone’s right.

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