'No room for such actions in Islam': Mufti Taqi Usmani deplores Jaranwala violence

• He terms violent episode "shameful for whole nation".
• Mufti suggests legal recourse to counter insulting actions.
• Cleric says there's no room for such actions in Islam.

After Christians in Faisalabad's Jaranwala tehsil were violently attacked over alleged blasphemy allegations, the country's senior cleric and Islamic scholar, Mufti Taqi Usmani, termed the targeting of the community "shameful for the whole nation".

Condemning the vandalism on his official X, formerly Twitter, account, the religious scholar maintained following legal recourse in case of an insulting action by someone.

"The incident of Jaranwala is shameful for the whole nation. If someone has done something insulting, there is a legal recourse," he posted on X.

Mufti Taqi censured burning a place of worship and harming a peaceful religious minority as a response.

"Burning churches or causing any harm to peaceful Christian citizens in response is highly condemnable. There is no room for such actions in Islam," the senior cleric added.

Hundreds of men attacked a predominantly Christian area on the outskirts of the industrial city earlier in the day after allegations spread that the Holy Quran had been desecrated.

A Christian leader, Akmal Bhatti, said the crowd had torched at least five churches and looted valuables from houses that had been abandoned by their owners after clerics made announcements in mosques inciting the mob.

Several social media posts showed some churches on fire as well as houses and belongings.

Meanwhile, two cases were registered against arsonists in Jaranwala in which 37 suspects were named, while more than 600 unknown people were included in the investigation.

According to the police, the mob vandalised and set fire to the houses and churches. They added that cases have been registered under the charges of terrorism and blasphemy including 13 other provisions.

The police said it took two accused men in custody on Thursday for inciting violence. The development came after the Punjab interim government ordered a high-level inquiry into the violent episode.

Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that the two main suspects are in the custody of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).