A Christian family had their faces painted black, their heads shaved and a garland of shoes placed around their necks, before being dragged through a village following blasphemy accusations, Christian charities CLAAS-UK and British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA) have reported.
The attack in the district of Sheikhupura, Punjab was was prompted when a Muslim named Kaneez Asghar, asked for a plastic sheet – which had some Arabic script on it – that was being used as a floor mat at the home of Christians Awais Qamar and his wife Rehana Qamar.
When Kaneez visited the Qamar home she saw the children sitting on the sheet and eating food. She noticed some Hadith words written on it – “Oh my Lord, increase me in my knowledge”.
Kaneez offered to buy the mat for 400 rupeess. Rehana asked for 1000. After some discussion Kaneez said that she would go and get the money from home.
But she returned with a Muslim man who, according to reports, slapped Rehana and called upon other locals to do the same. Local Muslims said Rehana’s family are “evil Christian demons” and should be killed as they had committed blasphemy by disrespecting the words from the Hadith.
It is reported that Rehana is “uneducated” was not aware that the sheet had words from the Hadith on it.
One man threatened to “burn and kill the whole village” in retaliation for the blasphemy.
When Mr Qamar’s brother was returning from working in the fields, local Muslims shaved his head, painted his face black and hung a garland of shoes around his neck as punishment for his family’s actions.
It is claimed the mob paraded him through the village on the back of a donkey, while some local Muslim women painted Rehana and Rukhsana’s faces black and pulled their hair.
Shortly after arriving at the scene, the police took the victims into custody in order to protect them from the growing mob.
Wilson Chowdhry of the BPCA told Premier the nature of the attack “expresses the animosity that is growing within Pakistan towards the Christian minority.
“I believe Christians now are the most targeted group. If you look at blasphemy cases, a very disproportionate number are being laid against Christians. We are simply the most hated.”
“This is generation after generation of Pakistani citizens being told Christians are evil. This is done through textbooks in the national curriculum that demonise and caricature minorities.
Nasir Saeed, Director of CLAAS-UK said, “Living in the same village with dignity and honour will be impossible for the families, and is one of the worst punishments imaginable. They will be living in hell for the rest of their lives, as they will as have lost respect in their own eyes.
CLAAS reports that because of the “continuous misuse of blasphemy law” against them, “Christians lead a fearful life and see no future for themselves or future generations in Pakistan”.
“They have no hope and therefore they are looking upon their brothers and sisters in Christ, across the world, to speak for them and to pray for their safety.”
