BAHMANIWALA, Pakistan — After a Muslim beat a Christian field worker for asking him to let him pass by him on the road June 30, a cleric in Bahmaniwala village used a mosque loudspeaker to announce a call to attack Christians.
The call resulted in more than 500 Muslims ransacking and looting at least 110 houses. With the mosque falsely broadcasting the accusation that the Christian had blasphemed Islam, the Muslim recruits rampaged through Kasur district’s Bahmaniwala village, breaking down gates, wrecking and plundering homes and sometimes beating Christian women.
They set fire to various items, including vehicles, though fire damage to homes was minimal.
“We don’t even have potable water, as they have damaged the turbine,” villager Zareena Bibi said. “We knew about the incident but could never imagine that they would wreak such devastation. They have not spared a single house here.”
Outraged that the lower-class Christian field worker on his tractor had asked Muslim Muhammad Hussein to move out of his way, 15 to 20 Muslims had previously mounted a hatchet attack on the family of the field worker, 37-year-old Sardar Masih, wounding his brother’s head, family members said.
Share with others: