Despite strong resistance from the mob, police rescued 10 Christians and shifted them to a safe location, Gill said.
Due to the intervention of Rizwan Gill MPA, a local Muslim member of the provincial assembly, police brought Masih in an ambulance to Military Hospital Sargodha. Due to security issues, only his son can stay with him.
To disperse the crowd, police were forced to use tear gas.
Christians lauded the police for saving the Christian families. Samuel Pyara, a Catholic human rights activist, praised the police officers’ bravery and timely intervention to control the situation.
Due to the action of the police, no other Christian house or church was attacked, Gill said.
Senator Sindh, member of the upper house of parliament, told CNA that Masih was operated on Monday, but his condition is still critical. He has been sent to Islamabad for further treatment.
To control the lawless situation, the district administration imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), banning all kinds of rallies, demonstrations, and gatherings in the district until May 31.
The police presence has also increased around Christian localities and churches.
On Sunday, special prayer services were held in churches across the country. Church leaders prayed for peace and tolerance in the country.
Deputy Police Officer (DPO) Malhi told the media that Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz had issued directions for all possible measures for saving human lives.
He also disclosed that cases were registered against more than 400 unidentified suspects, including Ayub Gondal on behalf of the state under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997 and sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). To date, police have arrested more than 100 suspects for mob violence and attempts to lynch Masih.
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Emmanuel Athar Juliun MPA, a Catholic and member of the Punjab Assembly, has submitted a motion at the Punjab Assembly Secretariat for debate on the incident in the assembly.
According to Muhammad Jahangir, an activist of Lashkar-e-Labak Pakistan (LLP), police have also filed a case against Masih under the blasphemy law.
Christian, Muslim, and Hindus rights groups have organized protest rallies in many major cities, including Faisalabad and Karachi. Safina Javed, a Catholic human rights activist from Karachi, told CNA that people from all walks of life attended the protest rally that was organized by Minority Rights March and demanded the repeal of blasphemy laws.
Since the controversial blasphemy laws were introduced in Pakistan, blasphemy accusations have been widely used against Christians to settle personal scores.
Mob attacks on Christians in Pakistan have been continuous.
In addition to terrorist attacks on churches, Christian neighborhoods have been attacked because of alleged blasphemy allegations. Last year in Jaranwala, 89 Christian houses and 24 churches were burned down.
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