75 held for killing blasphemy accused

Lahore, February 13

Over 75 suspects, including members of the radical Tehreek Laibbaik Pakistan (TLP) outfit, have been arrested for their alleged role in the lynching of a blasphemy-accused man in Punjab province of Pakistan, police said on Monday.

Prisoner lynched

• A mob on Saturday stormed a police station in Nankana Sahib, as per reports
• The mob beat a prisoner, Waris Ali Issa, arrested for allegedly desecrating the holy book, to death

A violent mob on Saturday stormed the police station at Warburton in Nankana Sahib, some 80kms from Lahore, took custody of Waris Ali Issa, who was arrested for allegedly desecrating the holy book, stripped him naked, and dragged him into the streets before beating him to death.

An FIR has been registered against over 800 suspects for killing Waris, attacking police personnel, and ransacking the police station under terrorism and different sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.

“So far we have arrested over 75 suspects as identification of more suspects is in the process through various mobile video and CCTV clips,” an official said.