Karachi (AsiaNews) – It is possible to prevent an alleged charge of blasphemy from escalating into violence against the Christian minority, as has unfortunately already happened on several occasions in Pakistan.
This was demonstrated by events in Karachi on 8 July, when thousands of people gathered in the Kazafi Colony area of Baldia Town following reports that a Christian mother and her son had desecrated some pages of the Qur’an.
Thanks to the joint efforts of the civil authorities, the security forces and Muslim leaders representing various schools of Islamic thought, the situation was brought under control, averting the risk of further outbreaks of sectarian violence.
According to Kashif Anthony, coordinator of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) and secretary of the Catholic Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism of the Archdiocese of Karachi, a Christian mother and her son were accused of desecrating several pages of the Qur’an and sending them via the Pakistan Post Office to five different destinations from Saddar, a neighbourhood in the city.
One of the parcels was reportedly received by a shopkeeper who, suspicious of the contents, alerted local residents and subsequently the police to investigate the incident.
News of the alleged desecration spread rapidly, leading to a gathering of thousands of people in the affected area. According to Anthony, some of those present incited violence against the accused, fuelling a climate of intense hostility.
Several Christian families, fearing possible attacks, took refuge in their homes, whilst damage to some properties and attempted attacks by the crowd were reported. The situation appeared extremely delicate from the outset and could have escalated into an episode of large-scale violence.
According to accounts from leaders of the local Catholic Church, the escalation was instead averted thanks to the timely intervention of political representatives, Islamic scholars and local community leaders, who worked together to restore calm.
The deployment of a substantial security presence by the police and the Rangers – the paramilitary force responsible for maintaining public order – was also crucial. The security forces patrolled the area, protecting Christian families and their homes and ensuring the safety of both the accused family and the other Christian residents of the neighbourhood.
One of the most significant aspects of the incident was the demonstration of genuine interfaith solidarity. According to Anthony, students from various Islamic seminaries, together with politicians and numerous members of the local Muslim community, gathered outside the homes of Christian families to deter any attacks.
At the same time, they called on the crowd to exercise restraint, pointing out that as yet unidentified individuals might have orchestrated the incident precisely with the aim of provoking a clash between Muslims and Christians. For this reason, they emphasised that allegations yet to be verified could not justify acts of violence against innocent citizens.
Prominent scholars from various schools of Islamic thought and numerous political leaders also addressed the demonstrators, urging them not to take the law into their own hands. In their speeches, they reiterated that violence, vigilantism and attacks on innocent people run counter to the teachings of Islam and pose a threat to peaceful coexistence among the country’s various religious communities.
The director of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace of the Archdiocese of Karachi, Fr Shahzad Arshad, had appealed to the civil authorities and law enforcement agencies to ensure the full protection of innocent people and their property.
He subsequently expressed his appreciation for the work of the police, the Rangers and other security agencies. He also acknowledged the positive role played by numerous political and religious representatives from Baldia Town, including the Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Assembly, Naveed Anthony; local politicians; Muslim leaders; Mufti Abdullah Noori; Mufti Zubair, a member of the Council of Islamic Ideology; Allama Bilal Saleem Qadri, students from Islamic seminaries and representatives of the Christian community, all united in the aim of protecting the most vulnerable residents and promoting justice and peace.
On the legal front, following consultation amongst Islamic scholars from various schools of thought, a complaint regarding the alleged incident of blasphemy was formally registered on the basis of the complaint lodged by Mufti Abdullah Noori of the Tahaffuz-e-Khatm-e-Nabuwwat Front. The police have launched an investigation to identify and arrest those deemed responsible for the alleged act.
Finally, Christian and Muslim leaders issued a joint appeal calling for a thorough, impartial investigation in accordance with the law, so that any liability may be established exclusively through the mechanisms provided for under Pakistani law.
Mufti Zubair and Allama Bilal Saleem Qadri also called on the public to remain calm and to reject any attempt to fuel hostility between Muslims and Christians, recalling that Islam requires the protection of the lives, dignity, property and rights of religious minorities.
The Islamic scholars also encouraged the imams of Baldia Town to devote their Friday sermons to the themes of religious harmony, brotherhood, peaceful coexistence and respect for the rule of law, warning against those who seek to undermine relations between the different communities.
The concluding appeal called on all citizens not to be swayed by unverified rumours, never to resort to violence or vigilante justice, and to preserve peace, mutual respect and the protection of the rights of the Christian community, reiterating that any alleged breach of the law must be addressed exclusively through proper investigative and judicial proceedings.
