JARANWALA, Pakistan (BP) – Following the false blasphemy accusations against two Christian brothers in Pakistan, an extremist Muslim group that had been banned previously, is facing charges of inciting violent riots. Reports indicate that clerics associated with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) used mosque loudspeakers to broadcast provocative slogans after the brothers were accused of damaging a Quran.
According to sources from the police and the community, this incident led to destruction and chaos. Numerous news outlets have reported that as a result of the riots, 20 churches were set ablaze, 80 homes were vandalized, personal belongings were burned, and a Christian cemetery was desecrated. Although there were no reported deaths, the situation was highly volatile.
A cleric from TLP allegedly exclaimed, "It's better to die if you don't care about Islam," as reported by the global news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) on August 19. Police authorities criticised the cleric's actions, stating that in such a tense environment, gathering people together only added to the already existing sensitivity around blasphemy in the country. This exacerbated the situation further, resembling the act of pouring fuel into a fire, as quoted by the AFP.
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