Pakistan: Man Burnt Alive Over Alleged Desecration Of Quran, Police Station Set On Fire After Mob Took Suspect

A man in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was burnt alive by a mob over the alleged desecration of Muslims' holy book Quran on Thursday (20 June) night.

According to Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Dr Zahidullah Khan, the man was brought to the police station after the alleged desecration incident.

However, a charged mob "attacked the police station and took the suspect away", as per the officer. The police station and a mobile vehicle were also set to fire.

The man was "torched", the DPO said as videos are doing the rounds on social media where a mob circling a body on fire in the middle of the road can be seen.

People gathered in huge numbers outside a police station can also be seen in videos. In response, a heavy police force has been deployed to control the tense situation.

Former Pakistan Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, who was recently in the news for praising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, said, "And the madness continues…. We are hell bent to commit Suicide as a Society #Extremism".

This comes weeks after a Christian man in Pakistan cleaning street was misinterpreted as deliberate defiling of an Islamic holy text, leading to a deadly mob attack.

Incidents of mob lynching over allegations of blasphemy have become shockingly common in Pakistan, disproportionately victimising religious minorities.

According to Dawn, General Ziaul Haq making blasphemy punishable by death has increased violence against non-Muslims in Pakistan. At least 2,120 persons have been accused of committing blasphemy between 1987 and 2022.