PAKISTAN: A Christian couple’s legs broken, and burnt alive on fabricated charges of blasphemy

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about a horrifying incident of a Christian couple being burnt alive on charges of Blasphemy in Pakistan’s Punjab Province. According to information, the couples’ legs have been broken so that they cannot escape the burning. The young Christian couple has been severely beaten and were both thrown into burning kiln by an enraged mob of about 2000 to 3000. This large mob had been instigated by the owner of a kiln in Kasur District in the Punjab Province, where the Provincial Government permits any person, especially organized mobs to do as they please, with impunity to those religious minorities such as Christians, Ahmadi’s etc. This incident too has taken place with full police presence and connivance.

The incident had taken place at the time the couple had met the kiln owner to demand arrears in payments due to them – dues that amounted to about Rupees 500,000 for work done for over a period of several months. The kiln owner had charged them instead with blasphemy and instigated the mobs to break their legs and burn them alive, on allegations that the couple burnt pages from the Holy Quran.

http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-147-2014