A Christian couple accused of blasphemy has been beaten to death by a Muslim mob on Tuesday at the brick kiln where they worked located in Kot Radha Kishan in Punjab province, Pakistan.

According to the police officials, the bodies of the victims identified as Shama Bibi and her husband Shahbaz Masih were burned in their above-mentioned workplace.

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The local police station official Bin Yameen released a statement saying the Muslim mob first beat them to death then burned their bodies after. According to the labor activists, the couple had a dispute with the owner of the factory, Yousaf Gujjar, as the two owed him money.  

According to witness accounts, people including the caretaker and the accountant of the factory began accusing the couple of burning pages from the Holy Koran after the said argument.

It was not yet clear what the payment terms are between the couple and the owner. The word immediately spread in the village and the large group of Muslims later on showed up at the said factory.

A security official also released a statement pressing that the local police tried their best to save the couple from the angry mob but they were reportedly outnumbered and were also attacked by the Muslims.

Senior police officials are reportedly investigating the said killing as of the moment but they assured that some of the people involved in the said killing have already been arrested, adding that 42 villagers are being questioned about the incident. The officials did not elaborate further on their report.

According to the sources, blasphemy is a highly sensitive issue and that critics continue to argue about the laws in Pakistan. The term is being misused often so as the people can settle their personal scores, and minorities are often targeted with these instances, they added.

This is the latest attack on minorities based on blasphemy grounds.

Laborers in brick factories are the poorest people in Pakistan as described by rights groups in the area. This angle is also being looked at by the investigators and the security officials.

The law about Blasphemy in Pakistan started to take effect in the 1990s.

TagsChristian couple, Pakistan, minorities, Blasphemy, beaten to death, bodies burned, Muslim mob