ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday took notice of an incident in Mian Channu when a mob lynched a man over alleged desecration of the Holy Quran.
The prime minister vowed that “zero tolerance” would be shown to the perpetrators and action would be taken against police officials who failed in their duty.
“We have zero tolerance for anyone taking the law into their own hands & mob lynchings will be dealt with full severity of the law. Have asked Punjab IG for report on action taken against perpetrators of the lynching in MIan Channu & against the police who failed in their duty,” the prime minister said in a tweet.
We have zero tolerance for anyone taking the law into their own hands & mob lynchings will be dealt with full severity of the law. Have asked Punjab IG for report on action taken against perpetrators of the lynching in MIan Channu & against the police who failed in their duty.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 13, 2022
A middle-aged man was stoned to death by a mob in Jungle Dera village of Khanewal district’s Mian Channu on Saturday. The victim claimed innocence but the villagers first hanged him with a tree and then hit him with bricks until he died.
Punjab Inspector General of Police Rao Sardar Ali Khan submitted a preliminary report of the incident to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. A case has been registered against 33 suspects and 300 unknown persons while sections related to terrorism have been added.
The report said police have already conducted more than 120 raids at various locations and detained 62 suspects, including primary suspects, while more raids were underway. The report said forensic analysis of the incident’s footage would help identify the culprits and determine their role.
The first information report (FIR) of the incident was registered at Tulamba police station on the complaint of a police officer. The FIR stated that a man accused of desecrating the Holy Quran was found tied up with ropes and tortured by a large mob.
The FIR said the police tried to disperse the crowd to no avail and the mob killed the man after beating him with rods, sticks, and bricks. The suspects hung his body from a tree which was recovered after much effort and taken for postmortem examination. Chief Minister Buzdar issued directives that all requirements of justice must be met and said no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands.
The mob lynching of a man in MIan Channu is condemnable & cannot be allowed to go unpunished. Punjab govt must immed take action against the police that watched it happen & the perpetrators. Laws exist – the police must enforce these laws & not allow mobs to rule the day.
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) February 13, 2022
Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari said the incident was “condemnable and should not go unpunished”. “Punjab government must immediately take action against the police that watched it happen and the perpetrators. Laws exist — the police must enforce these laws and not allow mobs to rule the day,” she said.
She shared a statement from Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, who also condemned the incident and called for action against the perpetrators.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said he has repeatedly pointed out the destructive extremist elements present in the education system. “This problem is one of rule of law and one of social decline as well. Be prepared for great destruction if the school, police station and pulpit are not reformed,” he warned.
