Gojra riots - inter-religious clashes in the Pakistani city of Gojra in 2009.
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Riots
On August 2, 2009, a group of Muslims attacked the Christian minority of the city of Gojra. Eight Christians were killed in religious unrest, rumors of abuse of the Koran were the cause of the attack. Four women, a man and a child, were burned alive as a result of the arson of houses, and two more men died from gunshot wounds. In television reports, it was seen how groups of people burned houses and fired weapons from roofs.
Reaction
Minister of Justice Rana Sanaulla The security officer in the Punjab province condemned the attack and ordered an investigation into the incident. Pakistani Rangers' army units were dispatched to the city by order of the federal government. Rana Sanaullah stated that a preliminary investigation revealed that there was no desecration of the Qur'an. “It was just a rumor that was used by anti-state elements to create chaos,” he said. President Asif Ali Zardari expressed serious concern about this incident and sent Shahbaz Bhatti, the Federal Minister for Minority Affairs, to Gojra to take steps to ensure the safety of people and their property. Police said they managed to identify 17 suspected rioters and another 783 took part in the attack on Christians. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif made an announcement that the government would pay $ 6,000 to every family where people were killed. Shahbaz Bhatti later stated that the organizers of the attack belonged to the extremist group Sipah-i-Sahaba , which conducted a series of attacks against Pakistan's security forces. Bhatti also accused the police of negligence and inaction.
International Reaction
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and Pope Benedict XVI condemned the Muslim attack on the Christian minority of Gojra.