A mob of Muslims attack a Christian’s house in the village of Sialkot, Punjab during a prayer meeting. They had been banned from holding it in the church.

Prior to this incident, local Muslims had seized the church land and a row erupted between the local Christians and Muslims, prompting police intervention.

The dispute continues over the 25-year-old building that Christians had been using for years. Local Muslim Rashis Jutt claims to have bought the land, but has been unable show land registry or any other documents to prove his ownership.

On January 4, police arranged for a reconciliation meeting between the local Christians and Muslims.

According on local Christian resident, Bashir Masih, local Muslims have made it almost “made it almost impossible” for the Christians to worship even in their homes.

He said they had obtained written approval permission from the DPO (District police officer) Rai Ijaz, to hold a three-hour prayer meeting on Sunday January 3 in the private courtyard of a Christian.

Bashir further said that the police official had also deployed two policemen at the venue in order to provide security to the worshipers.

At the time of the attack about 30 Christians were present in the house Rashid Jutt, stormed into the house where they were worshipping.

The Christians tried to protect themselves and when Jutt left he vowed to teach them a lesson, later filing an FIR against six Christians, claiming he had been tortured.