More than 100 people have been arrested in the city of Jaranwala in east Pakistan following violent clashes that saw churches burned and homes vandalized.
The unrest was ignited by claims that two Christian men had torn pages from the Quran, Islam's holy book.
The historic Salvation Army Church, a symbol of the Christian community in the area, remained smoldering a day after the violent clashes.
The incident has led to heightened tensions, with the ruins of the church surrounded by barbed wire.
Local authorities have also imposed restrictions on public gatherings for seven days in the Faisalabad district, which encompasses Jaranwala, in an attempt to quell further violence.
Although the two men accused of damaging the Quran have been charged with blasphemy, a crime punishable by death in Pakistan, they have not been arrested.
In Pakistan, even mere accusations of blasphemy can trigger widespread riots, often leading to violent confrontations.
Reports suggest that the violence was sparked by social media and citywide reports of the Quran's desecration, where torn pages with alleged blasphemous content were found near a Christian community.
The Muslim community's outrage escalated into mobs attacking and looting homes belonging to Christians.
Videos on social media showed protesters damaging Christian buildings while the police seemingly watched.
Yassir Bhatti, a 31-year-old Christian resident, recounted the destruction,
"They broke the windows, doors, and took out fridges, sofas, chairs, and other household items to pile them up in front of the Church to be burnt. They also burnt and desecrated Bibles, they were ruthless."
Pakistan inherited its blasphemy law from the British in the 19th century. Since the 1980s, Islamabad has imposed harsher penalties, including the death sentence for insulting Islam.
The country's population is primarily Muslim, and religion-fueled violence has increased since the imposition of stricter blasphemy laws, according to experts.
Amir Mir, Punjab province's information minister, condemned the alleged blasphemy and stated that thousands of police had been deployed, resulting in dozens of detentions.
The situation escalated due to the involvement of an angry group, primarily associated with the Islamist political party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), although the TLP denied any connection.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul-Haq Kakar called for swift action against those responsible for the violence.
Pakistani bishop Azad Marshall expressed distress over the events, urging justice and intervention from law enforcement to ensure the safety of all citizens.