azir Masih, who was attacked by an enraged mob, is fighting for his life at the CMH Hospital, Rawalpindi. Police have relocated his family to ensure their safety. Normalcy seems to have returned to Sargodha with not much betraying what had happened there save for a few policemen stationed at various locations. Yet, there is tension in the air. The Christian community has been living in fear after the events that unfolded on May 25 in Mujahid Colony following the alleged desecration of Holy Quran.

Fayyaz Masih, a craftsman who worked in Nazir Masih’s factory, says he was having breakfast before heading to work when he received news of a fire at the factory.

“One of my colleagues called and said that burnt pages of the Holy Quran had been found near the factory and that this had led to a crowd setting the factory on fire,” says Masih.

Fayyaz Masih fled to a relative’s village with his family and has not returned since. He says the thought of returning makes him feel unsafe. “I cannot return yet. I would be putting my life at risk. The factory was torched anyway so I won’t be returning to my workplace,” he says.

Two cases have been registered at Sargodha’s Urban Area Police Station in connection with this incident. The first case, filed under Sections 295A and 295B of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 9 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, accuses Nazir Masih of burning the Quran. The complaint was lodged by a local councilor, Muhammad Jahangir, a resident of Mujahid Colony.

The second case, registered under Sections 324, 186, 353, 436, 440, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, was filed by Shahid Iqbal, the SHO of the Urban Area Police Station. In this case, 44 named individuals and 450 unidentified people have been charged with attempted murder, arson, vandalising Nazir Masih’s shoe factory and house and attacking the police.

Akmal Bhatti, chairman of Minorities Alliance Pakistan, says the incident is the consequence of a business rivalry. He says a few days before the event, Nazir Masih and his son Sultan Masih had had a dispute with their neighbours over a speed breaker in the street.

“Nazir Masih had submitted an application to the police after the altercation but no action was taken. This [incident]occurred shortly afterwards,” Bhatti says.

According to Bhatti, Nazir Masih’s neighbours were envious of his financial success and continuously sought excuses to harass him.

Bhatti says the largest Christian community in Sargodha, numbering over 5000, resides in the Union Council that includes Mujahid Colony. “Since the incident, most of the people have fled their homes out of fear,” he says.

Bhatti demands that a judicial commission be constituted to probe the incident. He says that the Christian community in Sargodha has been repeatedly targeted under the pretext of alleged blasphemy and the police have failed to solve the problem.

Bhatti criticises the police for yielding to pressure from a religious party and adding provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act in blasphemy cases. He says this shows the state’s inability to combat religious extremism.

Senator Khalil Tahir Sandhu, the former minister, also attributed the incident to a conflict with neighbours. “Three or four days ago, there was an altercation with the neighbours that led to a police complaint. I believe this incident stemmed from that grudge,” he said.

Sandhu said that once a crime was committed, the law prescribed appropriate punishment but under no circumstances was a mob allowed to take the law into their hands. “Certain elements have sown the seeds of hatred. This is tarnishing Pakistan’s image worldwide,” he added.

Asghar says that after the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran hundreds of people came together to protest, yet no one has come forward to claim seeing the accused burn the scripture. “The police investigation has relied on statements by the plaintiff and witnesses who say they heard others say that the accused had burned the Holy Quran,” says the journalist.

SHO Shahid Iqbal says no complaint had been filed by Nazir Masih at his police station. He says he is unaware of a prior incident involving a dispute with neighbours.

Iqbal says that, on May 25, at around eight o’clock, the police received a distress call reporting the desecration of the Holy Quran on Pathan Street in Mujahid Colony that had resulted in a furious protest. Responding to this call, he and some colleagues arrived at the scene to find hundreds of protesters demanding that the alleged blasphemer be handed over to them.

“Given the severity of the situation, the DPO himself arrived on the scene, and all district reserve forces were mobilised to protect those trapped in two houses,” Iqbal says. “Tear gas was used to disperse the crowd. However, the protesters persisted. Some of them hurled stones at the police,” he says.

Iqbal says an ambulance called to the location had difficulty negotiating the narrow lanes. He says besides beating Nazir Masih, the mob damaged the ambulance.

Sargodha Police spokesperson Sub-Inspector Khurram Iqbal says Nazir Masih had indeed quarrelled with his neighbours a few days ago and had lodged a complaint with the police. He says that more than 150 people, including Nazir Masih’s neighbours named in the FIR, have been arrested.

“Whether this incident was the result of the previous conflict is still under investigation,” he states. He says there was no death during the protest. He also says that the police did not discharge firearms. “Nazir Masih is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital. His condition has improved,” Iqbal says. He says Nazir Masih’s family and relatives have been relocated to a safe place. “No other Christian families have left the area,” says Iqbal.

The SHO says that additional forces have been deployed to Mujahid Colony and other sensitive locations in the city on the orders of Punjab Police chief. He says the reinforcements brought in from Lahore and neighbouring districts, are monitoring the situation.

Malik Asghar, a senior journalist, was one of the first to arrive at the scene after receiving news of the incident. He says that Nazir’s family had been residing in the area for forty years. “The family is educated and has never faced such accusations previously,” he says. “One of his sons lives in Dubai. Some family members are in Spain. They are among the wealthiest families in the area,” says Asghar.

According to Asghar, Mujahid Colony is a diverse neighbourhood where approximately 30 per cent of the population is Christian and 70 per cent Muslim. A short distance away lies the Gill Wala village, home to five or six churches. “Gill Wala’s population is 40 per cent Christian and 60 per cent Muslim. There has never been any religious conflict there,” he says.

Asghar says that after the alleged desecration of Holy Quran, hundreds had gathered to protest, yet no one had come forward to claim seeing the accused burn the Holy Quran. “The police have relied on statements by the plaintiff and witnesses who say they heard others say that the accused had burned the Holy Quran,” says the journalist.

Since the incident, the local leadership of the religious party has become very active. “It has held meetings and instructed its members in the Sargodha division to be prepared to protest against the arrests,” says Asghar.

Asghar says that, over the past one and a half years, six to seven similar incidents have occurred in Sargodha. Criticising the police for indiscriminately arresting people without substantial evidence, he says, “The police should have reviewed videos to identify the culprits.”

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan there were 63 registered cases of blasphemy, 29 attacks on places of worship belonging to religious minorities last year. 11 people were killed on the account of their faith.

The HRCP has expressed serious concern over the recent incident in Sargodha, calling for a transparent investigation. The commission has pointed out that the Christian communities in Mujahid Colony and Gill Wala are particularly vulnerable and at risk.

An HRCP fact-finding mission has visited Sargodha. The HRCP has underscored the urgenct need for addressing these threats.

The writer has been associated with journalism for the past decade. He tweets@ naeemahmad876