Alleged lynching, angry mob attack 2 men in Lahore and burn the bodies photographing the horror (posted on Twitter)
Two men killed by a frenzied mob in Lahore appear to have been lynched in a tragic case of over reaction and mistaken identity as an official Taliban spokesperson has now denied the two had links to them.
Yesterday was a horrific day for Christians in Pakistan with the bombing of Roman Catholic Church and Christ Church in Youhanabad which claimed the lives of 15 people with 78 injured. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (TTP JA) claimed responsibility for the double bombings soon after the blasts stating, “we promise that until an Islamic system is put into place in Pakistan such attacks will continue. If Pakistan’s rulers think they can stop us, they should try to do so.” For the full story of yesterday’s attack can be seen on the following link,
Beaten by mob
Feelings were running high as an enraged crowd took to the streets, Al Jazeera reported, “in the tense aftermath of the bombings, angry mobs burned to death one person they believed was involved in the attack and tried to lynch another, said Haider Ashraf, deputy inspector general for Lahore. Local television footage showed an angry crowd beating a person they thought was connected to the attack, while others attacked buses in the city.”
Crowd formed a circle and set bodies alight
In a scene reminiscent of the burning alive of a Christian couple at a brick kiln, police failed to protect 2 men seized by the crowd as “suspects” and the situation got out of hand. Punjab Police IG Mushtaq Sukhera informed DAWN media after the lynching,“the policemen did attempt to resist but the mob was highly charged. It was not possible to use force at that time because it could turn the situation ugly and perhaps out of control.”
No mercy
The crowd took photos of the terrible scene and no-one appeared to have intervened to stop the killings.
Celebrating the shocking attack on two men
Taliban deny lynched men were linked to Taliban and brother of one victim claims he is innocent
One of the “innocent” men murdered by the mob
In a horrible twist today, Ehsanullah Ehsan spokesperson for Tehreek -e-Taliban Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (TTP JA) tweeted stating,
“the people who were burnt alive have no links with us. And we will revenge the two innocents, InshaAllah”.
According to Express News, Muhammad Saleem has now filed an application at Lahore’s Nishtar Colony police station on Monday related to the death of his brother, Naeem. Muhammad denied his brother who works as a glasscutter had anything to do with the church bombings. Saleem said,
“my brother was innocent and not a militant,”
“my brother was missing and when we went to the hospital we discovered he was one of those lynched.”
“we own a shop called Azeem glass and aluminum center and my brother was in the area to do some work when the incident took place.”
Dawn News screengrab shows Babar Noman, a hosiery worker, who had come from Sargodha in search of employment at a factory.
According to DAWN media, “the second victim of Lahore lynching incident has been identified as Babar Noman, a garment worker who had come from Sargodha in search of employment at a factory” Although the family have come forward to claim the body, DNA tests are needed first for further identification.
There was strong condemnation on social media,
Noor tweeted….
“Lynching, torching of 2 men in Lahore was barbaric. Every suspect has right to fair trial”
Maria Kari…
“Mob mentality, public lynching is now the answer? A desperate, tired nation we are. What the hell is happening?”
Syed Talat Hussain….
“Lahore mob burning of two alleged Church attack suspects is intriguing. Part of the mob, v organised, knew what they were doing.”
Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.
Carol Anne Grayson (Radical Sister) blog 