After the death of Nazir Masih, a 72-year-old Christian man who was lynched by an Islamist mob and died of his injuries, tension between Islamists and religious minorities rose. He was falsely accused of desecration of the Quran and was killed by a Muslim mob, who set his home and shop ablaze and tried to attack his family as well.

His death sparked widespread public outrage and protests by religious minorities across the region. They demand fair treatment and protection from Islamic violence as attacks and blasphemy accusations become more frequent.

While the religious minorities outcry for help, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), an Islamist party in Pakistan, calls for the release of the killers of Nazis Masih. A TLP leader gave a speech that went viral on social media, saying that the death of a Chuhra (a derogatory term for Christians) is not something to worry about because he was a sinner and in no way innocent. He also demanded the release of his killers, saying they resolved to use violence only to defend their faith.

Samson Salamat, president of the Rwadari Tehreek, an interfaith civic movement, said that members of TLP

“are openly engaging in hate speech against religious minorities, instigating people to commit violence, challenging the writ of the state and yet the state apparatus is silent.”

He also stated that religious minorities in Punjab live in fear because of the hate projected towards them, whether verbal or physical. He called for the elimination of TLP as a political party and for a crackdown on it and other extremist groups.

Source: Asia News

Photo: Wikimedia