Christians have demonstrated in cities around Pakistan after a Muslim mob torched more than 100 Christian homes following allegations of blasphemy.
More than 3000 Muslims rampaged through Joseph Colony, a Christian area of the eastern city of Lahore, on Saturday after allegations that a Christian had made derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammed three days earlier.
About 150 people have been arrested, police said, and though no one was killed the incident highlights the religious tensions affecting Pakistan as it prepares for an election expected in May, following a spate of deadly attacks on the minority Shi'ite Muslim community.
Police and locals said a drunken row between two friends was the trigger for the allegations of blasphemy, a hugely sensitive issue in Pakistan, where 97 per cent of the population are Muslim and even unproven claims can spark public violence.
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In Lahore on Sunday Christians protesting over the attack and demanding greater protection clashed with police, who used batons and tear gas to disperse them after they blocked a busy road, senior police officer Abdul Ghaffar Qaisarani said.
Multan Khan, the senior police official for the area of the attack, said the trouble began with a row between Christian man Sawan Masih and his Muslim friend Shahid Imran.
"They used to sit together and drink together almost every evening. They were drunk on Wednesday when they had some arguments," Mr Khan told reporters on Saturday.
It was during the argument that Masih allegedly made the blasphemous remarks, Mr Khan said, prompting Imran to report the matter to police.
Officers arrested Mr Masih on Friday, but this did not stop a mob assembling to attack Joseph Colony on Saturday morning.
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