Muslim nurses in Punjab Institute of Mental Health in Lahore took over the Church at the hospital last Tuesday that was used for services Sunday reportedly.
The nurses took the action after a controversial video against Pakistan was uploaded by an unidentified man from France. Video enraged nurses so much that they took over the church and demanded it is razed. They threatened their Christian colleagues to convert to Islam.
The video of the Muslim nurses sitting in the Church and reciting naat apparently in the Church went viral on social media yesterday.
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Absolutely terrible incident. Action should be taken against the nurses for terrorising members of already persecuted group: Christians in Pakistan.
Can't imagine the trauma & fear of being threatened with blasphemy cases & being forced to convert when a minority at the workplace https://t.co/JjfDNvMrtz— Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) May 3, 2021
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As per the reports, the conflict had been going between the two parties for the past 15 days. The conflict parties settled the issue along with a 15-member negotiating team including senior doctors and Father James Chaman. The two parties agree that they will not issue further statements and also will not file complaints against each other.
The viral video angered the social media users. They demanded the government to take strict action against the nurses as they labeled the incident as an act of religious extremism.
The representative of the Punjab Government and CM Punjab Usman Buzdar, Azhar Mashwani, informed that the dispute has been settled as the conflicting parties have compromised. However, the Police and the relevant authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
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The incident just a few weeks after Tehreek-I-Labbaik Pakistan had caused a nationwide protest with several clashes erupted between the law enforcement agencies and protestors of TLP. More than a dozen policemen were injured in the clashes and a few lost their lives.
TLP had come on roads against the blasphemy and the sanctity of the prophethood of the Holy Prophet Muhammad last month. The protestors demanded the expulsion of the French ambassador from Pakistan. Resultantly, the government had banned the political party.