Pakistani religious hardliners are victorious as 112 are acquitted for 2013 burning of the Christian Josep Colony over a rumor that a Christian spoke ill of the Prophet Mohammad. Meanwhile the rumored Christian still faces the death penalty – PB/TK
Pakistan acquits 112 in case of torching Christian homes over blasphemy rumour
January 29, 2017
LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) – A Pakistani court acquitted 112 suspects in the 2013 torching of hundreds of Christian homes in the eastern city of Lahore over a rumour that one of the residents there had blasphemed, a lawyer said on Sunday.
In March 2013, more than 125 homes in Lahore’s Josep Colony were burned by a mob of more than 3,000 Muslims responding to rumours that a local Christian man, Sawan Masih, had made derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammad.
No one was killed in the incident but there was widespread damage to the property of the mostly destitute Christians living in the neighbourhood. Two churches and dozens of Bibles were also desecrated in the attack.
Defence lawyer Ghulam Murtaza Chaudhry said an anti-terrorism court in Lahore had acquitted 112 people accused of torching and ransacking hundreds of houses.
“They were acquitted by the court because of lack of evidences against them,” Murtaza told Reuters. “The state witnesses could not identify the accused and their statements were also contradictory.”
Continue to oann.com article: http://www.oann.com/pakistan-acquits-112-in-case-of-torching-christian-homes-over-blasphemy-rumour-2/
