KARACHI: Police in Pakistan’s eastern city of Sargodha said on Monday that they had registered criminal cases against over 100 people for their involvement in last week’s mob attack against a Christian man and his family over allegations he had desecrated the Qur’an.
A frenzied mob went on a rampage on Saturday in Sargodha after locals said they saw burnt pages of the Qur’an outside the house of a Christian man. Angry protesters set his house on fire and his shoemaking factory, beating up his son as well.
Police said they rescued the Christian father and men after successfully dispersing the crowd following violent clashes. Sargodha Police District Police Officer Assad Malhi said several police officers were injured in the clashes. He said Sargodha Police’s prompt and effective actions “saved the city from a potential disaster, maintaining peace and harmony in the region.”
“Later during the day, criminal cases have been registered against the culprits and police has arrested more than 100 accused charging them with anti-terrorist and attempt to murder sections of law,” Malhi said.
Police said they were also probing the incident and focusing on determining the extent of the damage done as well as identifying those responsible.
“Sargodha police are working tirelessly to ensure that all aspects of the case are thoroughly examined and that justice is served,” Malhi said.
He said police were engaging with the local community to address the root cause of the issue.
“The police are working closely with local community leaders and religious scholars to promote interfaith harmony and understanding,” Malhi said.
In a separate post on social media platform X, police said on Monday morning that security had been beefed outside all important churches in Sargodha district following the incident.
“Sargodha police have completed arrangements for the hyper security of churches across the district,” Sargodha Police wrote on social media platform X. It added that over 1,000 police officers and youths were performing duties at important churches in the district.
Blasphemy accusations are common in Pakistan and under the country’s blasphemy laws, anyone found guilty of insulting Islam or Islamic religious figures can be sentenced to death. While no one has been executed on such charges, often just an accusation can cause riots and incite mobs to violence, lynching and killings.
The latest violence, however, brought back memories of one of the worst attacks on Christians in Pakistan in August 2023, when thousands of people set churches and homes of Christians on fire in Jaranwala, a district in Punjab province, also on allegations of desecration of the Qur’an.
Pakistan police book over 100 suspects for Sargodha mob attack on Christian family
https://arab.news/nnxhb
Pakistan police book over 100 suspects for Sargodha mob attack on Christian family
- Suspects charged under anti-terror, attempt to murder sections of the law, say police
- A mob attacked Christian man, his son on Saturday over allegations he desecrated Qur’an
Pakistan eyes ‘heavy’ Chinese investments in 10 key sectors at Islamabad agriculture summit
- More than 300 Chinese and Pakistani firms attended the event focusing on fertilizers, seeds, smart farming and irrigation techniques
- Islamabad expects the conference to lead to investments in agriculture, food processing, livestock, farm machinery and renewable energy
KARACHI: Pakistan is expecting “heavy” Chinese investments across 10 key sectors, including agriculture, renewable energy and technology, the Pakistani food security minister said on Monday, as officials and business leaders from both countries gathered for a major agriculture investment summit in Islamabad.
The Pakistan-China Agriculture Investment Conference was billed by Pakistan as a platform for deepening bilateral agricultural ties and supporting broader economic engagement between the two countries.
Around 120 Chinese companies and over 190 Pakistani firms participated in the event that focused on fertilizers, seed varieties, machinery, precision farming and smart irrigation systems, according to the organizers.
Speaking at the event, National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said the conference’s objective was to project Pakistan as a place where Chinese enterprises could grow, innovate and succeed alongside Pakistani partners.
“Heavy investments worth millions of dollars are expected, with multiple MoUs [memorandums of understanding] likely to be finalized by the end of the day across 10 key sectors, including agriculture, food processing, livestock, fisheries, agri-inputs, farm machinery, renewable energy, logistics, technology and value-added exports,” Hussain said on Monday evening.
Pakistan’s exports to China reached approximately $2.38 billion in Fiscal Year 2024–25 that ended in June, while imports stood at $16.3 billion, reflecting growing demand on both sides despite global economic headwinds, according to the minister.
This performance demonstrated resilience and expanding opportunities under the China–Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) framework.
Hussain said Islamabad was committed to supporting Chinese investors from regulatory processes to seamless coordination with all government departments and institutions.
“Together, Pakistan and China can push the boundaries of innovation, transform agri-technology, strengthen food security and reshape the economic landscape of the region,” he said.
The completion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Phase I and the launch of CPEC Phase II marked a decisive shift toward industrialization, technology transfer, renewable energy and people-centric development, according to Hussain.
Both sides had signed over 40 MoUs in Sept. 2025, covering modern farming, livestock, fisheries, farm mechanization and advanced technology transfer.
“These initiatives are not just projects; they are lifelines of growth, confidence and mutual trust,” he said, adding that they aim to enhance productivity, expand exports, strengthen food security and ensure sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Pakistan and China have been expanding cooperation in agriculture under the CPEC framework. Officials say stronger agricultural ties could help Pakistan boost exports, ensure food security and create jobs, while offering Chinese companies access to a large farming market and new investment opportunities.
Addressing the conference, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged Pakistani and Chinese agriculturists and experts to strengthen their existing partnership, saying that their sustained hard work and productivity gains could turn Pakistan into a surplus agricultural economy.
“Chinese experts are there to assist us and support us all the way to achieve this wonderful target [of becoming a surplus agricultural economy],” he said. “Now it’s up to us to generate this trade surplus through higher yields, comparative cost and, of course, highest quality.”
The prime minister noted that Pakistan’s policy rate was down to 10.5 percent down from 22 percent two years ago, exports were gradually increasing and macroeconomic indicators were stable.
“Now we have to move toward growth,” he said. “But then it requires solid, hard work, untiring efforts, blood and sweat. Without that, you will not be able to achieve your targets.”
