Over 150 arrested for raid on Christian colony in Pakistan

Pakistani police today arrested over 150 people here after a mob torched about 160 homes and two small churches in a Christian neighbourhood in search of an alleged blasphemer as outraged members of the minority community took to the streets in many cities.
Police launched an operation last night and arrested over 150 suspects during raids in different areas of Lahore, DIG (Operations) Rai Tahir Hussain said.
A spokesman said police and government officials were assessing the damage at Joseph Colony, the neighbourhood that was attacked yesterday, so that aid could be provided to the victims.
Christian groups organised demonstrations in several cities, including Lahore and Karachi, to protest the storming of Joseph Colony by a mob of over 3,000.

In Lahore, demonstrators blocked a key highway and police used teargas to disperse protesters.
Trouble began at Joseph Colony on Friday, when over 2,000 enraged Muslims surrounded the neighbourhood and pelted stones at Christian homes.

The mob was led by Shafiq Ahmed, who said he was looking for a Christian named Savan Masih as he had allegedly insulted Prophet Mohammed.
Some men assaulted Masih's 65-year-old father and burnt his home.
The mob dispersed after a police contingent was posted in the area and officials said they had registered an FIR against Masih under the blasphemy law.
On Saturday, the mob returned to Joseph Colony and drove out all Christian families that were still in the area. Masked men armed with sticks rampaged through the neighbourhood, setting houses and cars on fire.

The police did little to stop the mob.
Hundreds of Christians living in the open complained that they were yet to receive any aid from authorities.
The Christians sat amidst smouldering debris and said their houses were systematically looted before being torched.
Pakistan's Supreme Court today took suo moto notice of the attack. Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry had taken notice of the attack on Joseph Colony yesterday, officials said.