Islamabad, Mar. 11 (ANI): The periodic attacks on minorities in Pakistan's Punjab Province has been attributed to the provincial government's linkages with 'extremist elements' by rights activists.
The accusation comes two days after a brutal attack on Lahore's Christian community, where atleast 150 houses belonging to members of the minority community were ransacked and burnt down, after a Christian man was accused of committing blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad, reports The Express Tribune.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights has summoned Inspector General Punjab for accountability over the incident.
The human rights groups said that the incident could have been averted if the police, who was present on the occasion, had stopped the 3,000 strong mob of extremist rioters from wreaking havoc.
Furthermore, not punishing culprits of the anti-Christian Gojra riots of 2009 was understood as another catalyst for the March 9 incident, they added.
Human rights activist Riaz Fatayana said the recent incident is a continuation of the Gojra incident, adding that had the responsible elements and police officers, who were behind the Gojra tragedy, been convicted, the incident could have been avoided.
Fatayana alleged that the Punjab government had a "soft corner for the extremist elements" and gives "patronage" to them, which is why such incidents were occurring in the province repeatedly.
Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Zohra Yusuf, holds that it was indeed the Punjab government's sympathies with extremist elements in the province which led to re-occurrence of atrocities against minorities.
However, Punjab government spokesman Senator Pervez Rashid flatly rejected the allegation of nursing such soft corners. (ANI)
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