Christians Forced To Evacuate Village Over Clash With Local Muslims

Christians in a Pakistani village were forced to evacuate their village over clash with local Muslims. In a confrontation with local Muslim villagers, Christians were forced to leave their homes as two people were killed as a result of this confrontation.

Details emerged in a social media video recorded by a Pakistani Christian activist and journalist Saleem Iqbal that the incident unfolded in a village in Narowal District in Punjab province. All Christian villagers were forced to leave the village. A Christian woman identified as Ambreen told that there is a shop outside her house, and local boys used to gather there most of the times.

She told that the boys used to quarrel with each other and when girls especially Christian girls passed by, they passed indecent remarks harassed and bully them. When the Christian families asked the boys to stop vicious activities, but the boys paid no heed. When the Christian family asked the shopkeeper to prevent the boys from gathering outside his shop, he refused to do so.

The confrontation resulted in hostility towards the Christian family, as the rivals abducted their guest and beat him badly. When the news reached the local Christians they went to rescue the abductee, she said. A mob of almost 40 to 50 men had gathered there, and two men were killed by firing, she said. The locals falsely accused the Christians of killing two Muslim men. She said that the furious Muslims threatened the Christian villagers; to leave the village otherwise they would burn their houses. There are at least 30 to 40 Christian families residing in the village. The total number of Christian villagers is around 81, including men, women and children.

She said that local Christians have been entangled in a fabricated case of murder, in order to settle personal enmity. 10 Christians were named in the FIR of the murder, 7 have been arrested while 3 are in hiding. Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra, Head of Masiha Milat Party, said that the furious mob tried to burn houses of Christians, but the police intervened and prevented the disaster.