Attack against Christians: 35 remanded to custody in Pak

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Monday remanded 35 persons to custody for their alleged role in the attack on a Christian neighbourhood in this eastern city even as missionary organisations closed their schools to protest the incident.

Police presented 35 suspects arrested in connection with Saturday’s attack on Joseph Colony in the anti-terrorism court this afternoon.

Fourteen suspects were remanded to judicial custody while the others were sent to jail.

The suspects were charged under various laws, including the Anti-Terrorism Act, for attempted murder, robbery, arson and terrorism, police officials said.

More than 160 suspects have been arrested so far in connection with the attack that left hundreds of Christians homeless.

Police officials said the other suspects were being questioned and would be presented in court later.

The suspects were identified from photographs and video footage of the attack.

A total of 83 suspects had been named in the FIR, police said.

Christian organisations closed scores of missionary schools in Punjab and Sindh provinces to protest the torching of some 160 homes and two churches at Joseph Colony.

Policemen were deployed to guard churches and Christian neighbourhoods in several cities, including Multan and Quetta.

The trouble began on Friday after a Muslim man accused Savan Masih, a 26-year-old resident of Joseph Colony, of insulting the Prophet Mohammed.

The next day, over 3,000 Muslims rampaged through the neighbourhood and looted homes before burning them.

There were no casualties as police had forced the Christians to vacate the neighbourhood but the incident triggered protests across the country.

Life was affected by the protests at some places yesterday.

Savan Masih was arrested under the controversial blasphemy law even though a senior police officer said a preliminary probe had shown that he was falsely accused.

Several residents of Joseph Colony and a police official told the media that Masih and Shahid Imran, the Muslim man who accused him of blasphemy, had an argument on Wednesday after getting drunk.