According to DIG Mardan Abdullah, the people were returning from their protest on Mall Road when they entered the Sarhadi Lutheran Church and smashed the furniture inside.
He said that they destroyed a small nursery school on its premises too and were trying to set the church on fire when some Christians tried reasoning with them. The angry mob torched the church anyway and leapt into the community residential quarters, setting three of those on fire too.
The protesters, who marched through different roads, culminated on Mall Road, broke into a courier office and stole cash as well, the DIG said.
He said that they also smashed the gate of the postgraduate college and the windows of a private mobile network company.
The DIG said that 50 men had been apprehended on charges of vandalism.
COMMENTS (31)
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Vinasha kale Vipareeta Buddhi - distorted conscience is a sure sign of impending annihilation
Then why Christians are not burning ambassadors of Islamic countries, because they are human.
@DarKnight: Have you read other religious philosophies? I suggest you do.
@Zain:
And how is the rock you live under?
@Faraz:
Right you are. No shame on people who torched the church but shame on Media who report such "negative" incident rather than sweeping it under a rug. Shame on you to even think along those lines you bigoted ignoramus.
Khosa the governor of Punjab and Prime Minister should pay for all the property and human loss including the church burnt in Mardan. The movie and its made should be condemned by all but peacefully.
Sinply disgusting ... I am sorry christian brothers .. The people who lit the church donot represent us .. We are extremely ashamed of this atrocious act
It is a shame. What was the fault of poor Christians. What was the fault of an innocent ambassador who helped the Libians. Christians are Pakistani citizens. We are harming our own fellow citizens.
Shame on all who did it. The torched a historic church. They must not go unpunished.
"There is no other religion other than Islam which teaches to respect all the religions." IS IT ?
Thanks to Saudi base radical Islam.
When Osama Bin Laden (supposedly) destroyed WTC N.Y the whole Afghanistan was thought to be Taliban and 100000s of Innocent people were killed. Now when that guy made such a blasphemous film instead of blaming him, his country,we are destroying our own nation,bringing down our own economy, I wish that Pakistani's were sensible
So much for the "religion of peace" -- have you no shame? Where were the police when this happened?
@Zain: Sorry Zain, every knows how 'tolerant' us Pakistani Muslims are towards minorities. If the violence was so random how come no mosques were affected? The people who burned it knew full well what they are doing, I'm sure. Shame on them and all of us.
when muslims burn a church it isa natural mob behavior. when hindus destroy a mosque(which was not used for prayer for the last 100 years) which was once a temple the whole word muslims explode .
Today, I am a Christian. And I refuse to go back to Islam until justice is delivered to this church.
My head is down with shame being Pakistani Muslim...I am so sorry my Christian brothers sisters:(
Love for the Prophet day celebrated like this. Wonder what the world would make out of this irony!
There are no such prevalent discrimination against any minority in Pakistan. Especially Christians, who are much respected in our society and they run many renowned educational institutions in Pakistan. As my self grew up studying in one. The monstrous mob indiscriminately engulfed anything that came in its way. Schools, street lights, billboards, banks, churches, Muslims, Hindu's etc. were all affected and wrecked. Though such a destruction is and should be highly condemned, but at least, it should not be posed in anyway, that we Muslim Pakistani's are intolerant of any religious minority. Most importantly, people equipped with even smallest amount of Islamic studies will never possibly will act in such way. However, such a destruction was merely attributed due to disparity, corruption, lack of jobs, education and basic human necessities, which in turn lead to such frustrated reactions. I and many like me, I believe, are deeply grieved and saddened with all those who have been affected by such an ignorance, both religiously and academically. And unfortunately it contributes to be a major part of our society.
and it is a peaceful religion :)
It is even more shameful than all the destruction of yesterday.
this should not be happening,the people who were involved in all this should be punished not those unconcerned.we have to thinkkkkkkkkkk
What to say? A christian friend of mine had visited this church just a couple of weeks ago. From now on wards I would never defend my religion in front of him, It's not possible. Whatever be the logical conclusion, whatever be the facts, I hope he sticks to his religion........if I had convinced him that Islam is his only hope, he would have to lose faith not only in Yusso but also in humanity. Shame on these people. Shame on the KPK government. Shame on the clerics.
Shameful stuff. being a Pashtun i am ashamed of this act by fellow men. :\
what a peacefull protest.. shame on us ..
This is not at all surprising.Non-Muslims have to bear such atrocities regularly at the hands of the 97% population.It would have been nice if Muslims didn't celebrate a holy day by burning worship places of non-muslims.
What a peaceful protest???