12 October 2026: A mob allegedly set fire to a Christian man’s home and medical clinic in a village near Narang Mandi, Punjab on Friday, a day after police arrested him on allegations of sharing blasphemous content on social media.
Kamran Gill, 40, a father of three who operates a pharmacy and clinic in Gharial Kalan, was reportedly arrested on 8 October. His family and several other Christian residents fled the village following the attack, according to a case report Police registered separate cases against Gill over the alleged social media post and against named and unidentified suspects over the attack on his property.
According to the account of the complaint against Gill, Sub-Inspector Raees Ahmed alleged that Gill had shared a video originally uploaded by another Facebook user. The officer stated that he and another police official viewed the recording and preserved a copy as evidence. The post was reportedly deleted before Gill’s arrest.
A case was registered at Narang Police Station on 9 October under provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and legislation concerning electronic communications and public order. The allegations against Gill have not been established in court.
Later that day, following Friday prayers, a crowd reportedly gathered outside his clinic and adjoining residence.
According to the account of the second FIR, lodged by Assistant Sub-Inspector Ghulam Murtaza, members of the crowd broke the clinic’s lock, entered the premises, damaged property and set the clinic and house on fire. Some participants allegedly carried sticks, stones, petrol and matches.
The complaint names 14 suspects and refers to another 20 to 25 unidentified individuals. It also alleges that a member of the crowd raised slogans and incited others to violence.
Police officers said they informed their superiors and went to the scene after receiving information about the attack. Rescue 1122 personnel assisted in extinguishing the fire. The complaint states that officers attempted to apprehend suspects, who fled the scene.
The case against the alleged attackers, FIR No. 1071/26, includes Sections 436, 427, 147, 149 and 153-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, together with Sections 6 and 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The material provided does not establish whether any suspects have subsequently been arrested or the full extent of the damage to the buildings.
Local accounts cited in the report said the intervention prevented further destruction and that other Christian homes in the village were spared. Police personnel reportedly remained deployed in the area amid concerns about further violence.
Gill reportedly remains in custody, while his wife, children, mother and three brothers face uncertainty over his case and their safety.
The attack has also raised questions about whether sufficient protection was provided after his arrest. The case report refers to social media footage said to show the crowd gathering and attacking the properties, as well as allegations that speeches encouraged people to join the mobilisation. Those accounts require independent verification.
Nasir Saeed, director of CLAAS-UK, condemned the attack and called for an inquiry into the authorities’ preparations and response.
“Kamran was reportedly already in police custody before his home and clinic were attacked. What measures were taken to protect his family and property once the authorities became aware of the allegation?” he said.
“The police and emergency services’ reported intervention helped contain the damage, but an independent inquiry must establish whether earlier action could have prevented the attack.”
Saeed said the criminal investigation into Gill must proceed without pressure from those threatening violence.
“No allegation gives anyone the right to burn a home or punish an entire family. The allegations must be examined through the courts, and those responsible for the attack must be investigated, prosecuted and, if convicted, punished according to the law,” he said.
The incident follows earlier attacks on Christian communities in Shanti Nagar in 1997, Gojra in 2009, Joseph Colony in Lahore in 2013 and Jaranwala in 2023. Blasphemy allegations triggered mob violence in several of those cases, resulting in deaths, displacement and the destruction of homes and places of worship.
Saeed urged the federal and provincial governments to introduce safeguards against the misuse of blasphemy allegations, including prompt threat assessments, protection for accused individuals and their families, and action against incitement.
“The repeated pattern of accusation, mobilisation and destruction must end. The government must review the relevant laws and procedures and introduce amendments where necessary to prevent abuse,” he said.
“Accountability must include those who organise or encourage violence, as well as those who carry it out. Condemnation after an attack cannot substitute for prevention and enforcement.”
