There was rioting outside the Star City mall in Pakistan’s Karachi after a violent mob claimed that “wireless internet devices” in the mall were allegedly playing comments against the companions of the Islamic religious figure Prophet Muhammad.
Protest against alleged blasphemy of a wireless device in Karachi. Mob rallied after a WiFi device installed at Star City Mall allegedly posted blasphemous comments. Demonstrators destroyed Samsung billboards and accused the company of blasphemy. The police arrested 27 Samsung employees. pic.twitter.com/3R8UYbScqa
— Naila Inayat (@nailinayat) July 1, 2022
The mob then targeted global telecom giant Samsung, accusing it of blasphemy and then vandalizing its billboards. The police also arrested at least 27 employees of a mobile phone company.
“Samsung Electronics has reiterated its firm stance that it strives to maintain objectivity in all matters of religious significance. Regarding the recent developments in Karachi, Samsung Electronics stands by its stance that the company has the utmost respect for all religious sentiments and beliefs and has the highest respect for the religion of Islam,” Samsung said in a recent statement.
Samsung Pakistan – press release dated July 1, 2022. pic.twitter.com/IVSpAkH8Lm
— Samsung Pakistan (@SamsungPakistan) July 1, 2022
It also announced an internal investigation into the matter.
Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, Afghanistan and other West Asian and Muslim-majority nations around the world.
Certain groups of European Muslims, as well as Muslim migrants living in Europe and the US, have also held violent protests, claiming blasphemy and calling for the deaths of blasphemers in accordance with Sharia law.
However, Pakistan has seen those accused of blasphemy swiftly meted out justice by the mob.
In early 2021, Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana, a Sri Lankan worker, was lynched to death by a mob of hundreds of thugs who claimed that Priyantha had insulted the religious figure of Prophet Muhammad.
The mob beat Priyantha and broke every possible bone in his body, according to the autopsy report.
They then hurled flaming hoops at his body, charring him to the point that he was unidentifiable. The fanatics also spoke to the media and snapped selfies while the Sri Lankan’s body burned in the background.
Pakistan also ignored the vandalism at the temple in Bhong, a town in eastern Punjab province in Multan, after bail was granted to an eight-year-old child accused of alleged blasphemy.
Pakistan’s Supreme Court then forced local authorities to take steps to repair the temple, after which it was reopened for worship.
Minority groups in Pakistan have claimed the government is turning a blind eye to Islamists who use violence against them.
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