Mob storms Pak police station, kills a man accused of blasphemy

Lahore: A violent mob in eastern Pakistan on Saturday killed a man after dragging him out of a police station where he was taken on charges of blasphemy.

Police said the mob beat him to death on the premises of the station in the city of Nankana Sahib and attempted to set his body on fire, Reuters reported.

Muhammad Waris, a man in his early 20s, was arrested on Saturday for allegedly desecrating the Quran, police spokesman Muhammad Waqas reportedly said.

This is the latest of vigilante action by angry mobs on perceived blasphemy incidents, which is legally a crime in Pakistan.

Most recently in 2021 a Sri Lankan national who was managing a garment factory was killed by a mob, sparking international outrage.

Afterwards, a court sentenced six men to death for killing the Sri Lankan national following a mass trial that involved some 89 suspects.

When the mob stormed into the station on Saturday there were only a handful of officials who could not stop the crowd, according to the police spokesperson.

However, police reinforcements later stopped the mob from setting the body on fire, alongside controlling the situation.

A viral footage showed a man being dragged through streets stripped of his clothes alongside being beaten by sticks and metal rods, according to the report.

Pakistan authorities have long been facing international criticism for not doing enough to stop mob lynching over blasphemy.

Blasphemy in Pakistani law can carry the death sentence.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an inquiry into the Saturday’s incident, according to the report.