ISLAMABAD: Police have registered cases against hundreds of suspects for attacking and setting fire to a police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district after demanding that officers hand over a man accused of burning the Holy Quran, Pakistani media reported on Tuesday.
A crowd of up to 5,000 people surrounded the police station in Charsadda town in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday night, also setting fire to more than 30 cars On Monday morning, around 2,000 people remained outside the police station, burning uniforms of officers.
According to a police first information report (FIR) published in Dawn.com, police cases were registered “against 30 named suspects and between 300 to 400 unnamed suspects.”
Cases have been filed under sections 324 (attempted murder), 353 (assault or act to deter a public servant from discharging duty), 345 (wrongful confinement), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc.), 427 (damage to property), 120 (concealing design to commit offense punishable with imprisonment), 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code along with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
“The FIR, which was registered at the Tangi police station, stated that an angry mob gathered in front of the Mandani police station and wanted officials to hand over a man arrested for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran,” Dawn said. “The mob became violent and attacked police, before opening fire on officials present at the police post. It added that the mob entered the police post and also seized weapons and other valuables.”
According to the FIR, the mob set 22 vehicles on fire, including three police vans, and stole 12 submachine guns and ammunition. Police also confirmed that the Mandani police station and four posts were destroyed and set on fire during the protest.
Police told Dawn almost 30 people had been arrested so far, and schools and other educational institutions in the area had been closed. KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan chaired a meeting on the incident, saying “elements and criminals who had provoked people to damage public property had been identified and the person who had allegedly desecrated the Holy Quran had been arrested,” Dawn reported.
“It was decided that strict action would be taken against those involved in vandalism, as the participants of the meeting condemned the incident,” a handout from the meeting said. “Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister also condemned the desecration of the Holy Quran, saying that the responsible person would be given stern punishment.”
Blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan, and although no executions have been carried out, suspects are often killed by vigilantes.
A Christian couple was lynched then burnt in a kiln in Punjab in 2014 after being falsely accused of desecrating the Holy Quran. A former Punjab governor Salman Taseer was gunned down by his bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, in Islamabad in 2011 over his call for reforms of the blasphemy law.
Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman and a laborer from central Punjab province, was convicted of blasphemy in 2010 and was on death row until her acquittal in 2018, which prompted days of violent demonstrations by hard-liners. She and her family later fled the country for Canada.
The country has frequently been paralyzed in recent years by anti-blasphemy protests waged by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan party, often linked to the publishing of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by a French satirical magazine.
Hundreds of suspects booked for setting Pakistan police station on fire in alleged blasphemy case
https://arab.news/r8gmd
Hundreds of suspects booked for setting Pakistan police station on fire in alleged blasphemy case
- Crowd of up to 5,000 people surrounded police station in Charsadda town on Sunday night
- On Monday morning, 2,000 people remained outside police station burning uniforms of officers
Pakistan footwear sector flags used imports as barrier to export growth
- Industry says production capacity far exceeds domestic consumption, signaling export potential
- Its delegation tells commerce minister up to 40 percent of domestic market met through used shoe imports
KARACHI: Pakistan’s leather and footwear industry has warned that rising imports of used shoes are distorting the domestic market and limiting export growth, according to a commerce ministry statement issued on Thursday after industry representatives met Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan.
The meeting focused on export potential, domestic market challenges and regulatory concerns linked to the import of second-hand footwear, which industry leaders say is undermining local manufacturers despite significant production capacity.
“Pakistan’s annual footwear consumption is estimated at around 550 million pairs, while the country has an installed production capacity of nearly 700 million pairs annually, indicating significant potential for both domestic supply and export expansion,” the delegation said, according to the commerce ministry statement.
“A considerable portion of this capacity remains underutilized due to market distortions created by the growing influx of used footwear imports,” it added.
Industry representatives told the minister that around 30-40 percent of Pakistan’s domestic footwear market is currently supplied through imports of used shoes, many of which enter the country under the broader customs category of used clothing and accessories.
They said branded footwear is often imported at very low declared values under this classification, creating what they described as unfair competition for domestic manufacturers.
To address the issue, the delegation proposed introducing a separate Harmonized System (HS) code for used footwear, which would allow regulators to better track imports, improve customs valuation and introduce sector-specific regulatory measures.
The commerce ministry said the proposal has been placed on the agenda of the Tariff Policy Board and could eventually be considered as part of the upcoming federal budget following consultations and approvals.
The commerce minister acknowledged the importance of the leather and footwear sector as a potential export driver and reiterated the government’s support for local manufacturing and export-led growth, the statement said.
He also encouraged industry stakeholders to expand exports while ensuring locally produced footwear remains affordable for domestic consumers.
Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination to help the sector boost employment, increase production and expand Pakistan’s presence in international footwear markets.
