Pakistan: Deja vu after Muslims attack Colony Christians
By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (Worthy News)– Within hours after Pakistan’s Supreme Court condemned police for not stopping rampaging Muslims from destroying nearly 200 Christian homes in the Joseph Colony of Lahore, another Muslim mob damaged Christian-owned shops and a church in the Francis Colony of Gujranwala on April 3.
This latest riot was sparked after local Muslims spread rumors that Christian youths had disrespected Islam by playing loud music while driving by a mosque, according to International Christian Concern.
The next day, Muslims from nearby Naroki village attacked Christian-owned shops and other properties in the Francis Colony in spite of assurances by local police that Christians in the colony would be safe.
“The police was doing what it does best: nothing,” Asif Barkat told Morning Star News. “Their bias towards Christians is quite evident, because when the Muslims were raiding our church and property, they just watched, but when we confronted them, they started hitting us with batons and used live ammunition to deter us.”
The incident marked the second time that Pakistani police stood idly by while their fellow Muslims destroyed Christian property: just last month, police failed to protect the Joseph Colony of Lahore as a Muslim mob burned and looted 180 Christian homes after accusations spread that a Christian had blasphemed Islam.
When police in riot gear were queried as to why they allowed Muslim mobs to destroy Christian-owned property in the Joseph Colony, they said the Christians were “choorhas” or “untouchables,” according to Hashim bin Rashid, general secretary of the Awami Workers Party in Lahore.
“It was as if police had invited the mob to ransack, loot and burn Joseph Colony as they stood and watched.”