A prayer leader accused a Christian boy of entering the mosque and urinating at the place designated for ablution purposes. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
Several Christian families fled their homes in Shibli Town on Friday in anticipation of a mob attack after accusations surfaced over the desecration of a mosque’s ablution area.
There are about 70 houses in the Christian locality of Shibli Town, where Naseer Ahmed, a prayer leader of Jamia Masjid Al Hajveri, accused a Christian boy of entering the mosque and urinating at the place designated for ablution purposes on Wednesday.
The prayer leader beat him, informed his father of his “crime”, and asked them to be ready for retribution after Friday prayers. As a result, some Christian families locked up their homes and fled from the area on Thursday. However, Pastor Waris Piara from Shibli Town, and other members of the community went to the prayer leader and sought his forgiveness, promising him that Christians would not ‘dare to enter the mosque’ in the future if he forgave them this time.
Christians of the locality told The Express Tribune that they were afraid of a repeat of the Joseph Colony tragedy in Lahore last week.
They said most of their families, however, had remained in the locality as there was a death of one of their loved ones on Thursday night.
One of them, requesting not to be named, told The Express Tribune that in 1990, the same cleric had forced them to shift their church from the same locality. He said he hates them on the basis of their religious belief and never misses a chance to harm them.
Yaqoob Masih, a resident of the same locality, said that the boy whom the cleric is accusing only washed his hands at the mosque, adding that instead of listening to the boy, the cleric started shouting and beating him.
Amin Masih, also a resident of Shibli Town, said that after raising allegations against the boy, the cleric also stopped Christians from using the street in front of the mosque.
Amin added that although Muslims in the area did not file any application against them with the police, SHO Islampura Police Station SI Safdar along with many other policemen reached the area on Friday to ensure their security at the time of Friday prayers. He said he also deputed some policemen outside the church to assure no untoward incident took place.
Superintendent of Police Bilal Umar said after being informed about the incident, he monitored the area and said there were signs of unrest in the area.
Human Liberation Commission’s Aslam Parvaiz Sahotra said he had visited the locality and a few families are still not in their homes. Sohatra appealed to the chief minister of Punjab not to let a tragedy like Joseph Colony recur in Lahore by ensuring the protection of Christians.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 16th, 2013.
COMMENTS (11)
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@Asad: An actual Islamic state would actually safeguard the rights of religious minorities.
What is preventing Muslim countries in becoming an "actual Islamic state"?
Pakistan tried to create an Islamic state in Afghanistan by giving talibans intensive training in Madrasahs. One can see the results of the experiment by seeing what is going on in Pakistan and Afghanistan now.
I have a feeling that non-Muslims have been treated in bad way since Pakistan came into existence. It is just media did not talk about it. In 1971 Pakistani army killed 3 million people in East Pakistan.
Islamic invaders attacked India to loot and kill and convert Hindus by force to Islam.
Pakistan is a land of pure run by followers of Islam guided by scholars of Islam. Out of all 50+ Muslim countries which one is considered an Islamic State.
Islam is a religion of peace.
Even if Christian boy did it, he must have done it by mistake. This should not be a big issue, people do mistake. Forgive and Forget. BTW I am Muslim by birth.
Why not wash the place instead of threatening to burn the child? Don't tell me it can't happen with scores of young Muslim children brought by their parents to the Eid prayers. Water makes dirty things clean.
This CHRISTIAN BOY may or may not have done what he is said to have done.
Even if (hypothetically) he has done it, the fact is that he did not do it as a reperesentative of the Christians.
It is just an individual's misconduct.
You CAN NOT punish the whole CHRISTIAN community for one child's mindless error !!!!
The job of the authorities of that MOSQUE is to change the mind and heart of this BOY, so that he becomes a better human being, a better Christian and a better citizen~~~~~show him the true spirit and path of Islam !!!
@Shaami
What you say about Dark Ages in Europe is true. But u fail to make the connection that Pakistan is not even close to being ruled as an Islamic state, rather it is ruled by power thirsty mobs. An actual Islamic state would actually safeguard the rights of religious minorities. There is no better example than in Islamic history itself when the Jews and Christians lived peacefully under Islamic rule. They had their own courts yet they favored shariah courts due to its justice. You give the example of how Europe freed itself from Christianity when actually Christianity is never meant to exist as a political force which is why it gave way to oppression and tyranny while the Islamic nation at the same time of the dark ages was celebrating its golden age of progress and justice.
@rana Please tell me you're not blaming the Christians for this. One, the imam gave no proof or evidence beyond his own words. Two, there is absolutely no justification for this sort of insane persecution of human beings.
@Shaami: Our case is bit different from Europeans. We were a quite peaceful society wherein religious leaders were limited to their religious duties. From 80s onwards state used/armed/inflated them for its own designs. Now they are out of control challenging those who gave them this much power.
A flow of such provocative events are suggesting that it might be intentional and having proper backing & planning!! A weakest follower of any religion can’t attempt such act willingly!!
This is what happens when you convict nobody for Gojra deaths and convict nobody for Joseph Colony being set on fire.
When crime pays, who wouldn't follow?
I am afraid next time Our so called Islamic scholars will issue a Decry that will disallow any Non Muslim in Pakistan to breath the same Air which Muslims breath as Holy Muslims could have a Negative impact on their thoughts after inhaling the same air which Our Non Muslim brothers and Sisters inhale and exhale in Pakistan, Now we are in the phase in which the Europe was during Dark Ages where Church was Involved in the government and they were controlling the population and they were burning libraries and killing the Jews in Europe until they realized this will not work like that. Just like Europeans progressed afterwards in a similar manner we need an Age of Renaissance in Pakistan where Religion and Governmental issues must be separated and role of Religion must be Scrutinized in all walks of Life.