Christian man targeted in Sargodha mob attack dies

SARGODHA: An over 70-year-old Christian man Monday succumbed to his wounds more than a week after being lynched by a raging mob over alleged blasphemy, officials said.

The victim of the mob lynch, Nazir Masih, breathed his last this morning during his ongoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital in Rawalpindi for nine days, said the Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sharik Kamal Siddiqui's spokesperson.

The deceased underwent two surgeries, but did not recover from the injuries inflicted on his head, the spokesperson added. Masih's postmortem has been conducted and he will be buried later today.

The incident took place on May 25 in Sargodha after an angry mob tortured Masih for alleged blasphemy.

The situation turned violent when enraged people attacked the victim's house in the Mujahid Colony area, damaging his belongings and torching a shoe factory established within it. They also burnt tyres and damaged electricity installations in the area.

Following the incident, at least 25 people were taken into custody by the police who also shifted the victim and his family to an undisclosed location after rescuing them.

Sargodha Division Commissioner Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti pledged that those involved in the incident would be brought to justice after holding a transparent inquiry into the incident.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had also expressed concerns over the situation in Sargodha and urged the Punjab Police and district administration to bring perpetrators to justice immediately.