Pakistani Christians demonstrate
Source: Agencies |
March 11, 2013, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
HUNDREDS of Christians protesting the burning of their homes by a Muslim mob over alleged blasphemous remarks made against Islam's Prophet Muhammad clashed with police yesterday in eastern and southern Pakistan.
Around 150 people have been arrested for setting dozens of Christian houses on fire in the eastern city of Lahore after a non-Muslim was accused of making offensive comments about the prophet, police said.
Christians nationwide rallied against the incident, but the main protests were in major cities Lahore, Karachi, the capital, Islamabad, and the adjoining city of Rawalpindi.
The Christian demonstrators blocked a main highway in Lahore and police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters who demanded assistance from the government, said police official Malik Awais. He said the protesters damaged several vehicles, uprooted a fence along the road and burned an electricity generator.
Seven policemen were injured when the protesters pelted them with stones, he said. He said the police, who used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd, detained six of the protesters.
Government spokesman Pervaiz Rasheed promised the government would help hem rebuild their houses, but the Christians were dissatisfied with the way the government was handling the incident.
"I have been robbed of all of my life's savings," Yousuf Masih said, standing close to his burned house. He said the government's announcement that it would give 200,000 rupees (US$2,000) compensation to each family was a joke.
Awais said the protesters demanded the government raise the compensation from 200,000 rupees to 1 million rupees.
In Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, more than 1,000 protesters blocked a road in a local market and damaged 25 vehicles, said police officer Ali Raza.
Around 150 people have been arrested for setting dozens of Christian houses on fire in the eastern city of Lahore after a non-Muslim was accused of making offensive comments about the prophet, police said.
Christians nationwide rallied against the incident, but the main protests were in major cities Lahore, Karachi, the capital, Islamabad, and the adjoining city of Rawalpindi.
The Christian demonstrators blocked a main highway in Lahore and police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters who demanded assistance from the government, said police official Malik Awais. He said the protesters damaged several vehicles, uprooted a fence along the road and burned an electricity generator.
Seven policemen were injured when the protesters pelted them with stones, he said. He said the police, who used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd, detained six of the protesters.
Government spokesman Pervaiz Rasheed promised the government would help hem rebuild their houses, but the Christians were dissatisfied with the way the government was handling the incident.
"I have been robbed of all of my life's savings," Yousuf Masih said, standing close to his burned house. He said the government's announcement that it would give 200,000 rupees (US$2,000) compensation to each family was a joke.
Awais said the protesters demanded the government raise the compensation from 200,000 rupees to 1 million rupees.
In Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, more than 1,000 protesters blocked a road in a local market and damaged 25 vehicles, said police officer Ali Raza.
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