The tragic death of Tan Man Neel-o-Neel at the hands of an enraged mob isn't an isolated event; it's part of a disturbing pattern of violence that has plagued Pakistan for years. Why are we, as a society, tolerating this growing epidemic of brutality? The country has witnessed a surge in mob violence in recent years, with citizens taking the law into their own hands—often with deadly consequences. While Tan Man Neel-o-Neel's horrific murder has sparked widespread outrage, it is only one example of a much broader issue that has long been ignored. These five cases of mob violence should have raised alarm bells long before the events of February 2025.
1. The Lynching of Mashal Khan (2017)
Mashal Khan, a 23-year-old student at Abdul Wali Khan University in Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was lynched by a mob of his fellow students in 2017 after being falsely accused of blasphemy. His death was filmed and widely shared on social media, sending shockwaves across Pakistan and the world. This case should have been the turning point in the conversation about religious intolerance and mob violence in Pakistan.
Mashal was a bright student with a promising future, his only crime being the victim of a false rumor. The images of his bloodied body, lifeless and broken, haunt us. Yet, despite the shocking nature of his death, the cultural and legal factors that led to his murder—such as Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws and a widespread culture of vigilantism—remain largely unaddressed. Why did it take a viral video for authorities to act?
The Mashal Khan case should have sparked immediate national dialogue about blasphemy laws, mob justice, and the failure of law enforcement. Sadly, while some individuals were arrested, the societal issue of mob violence remained ignored, continuing to spread.
2. The Killing of Priyantha Kumara (2021)
In another shocking incident, a mob murdered Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara in Sialkot in 2021. Kumara, a factory manager, was falsely accused of blasphemy and beaten to death by a mob of his workers. The attackers filmed the horrific act, and the footage was circulated globally. Even though police were present, they failed to intervene.
This case highlighted the power of rumor, the breakdown of law and order, and the lack of accountability in the justice system. Even more chilling is that the mob did not fear law enforcement. This event should have led to a major re-evaluation of how the police handle mob violence. Still, once again, the outcry faded quickly, and the root causes of the violence—religious extremism, law enforcement failure, and inadequate legal reform—were never effectively addressed.
3. The Lahore Incident of 2020: A Man Burned Alive Over Alleged Blasphemy
In 2020, another disturbing case of mob violence occurred in Lahore when a mob lynched a man after being accused of blasphemy. The mob dragged him through the streets, tortured him, and burned him alive while the police watched without taking action. His crime? Allegedly desecrating a religious poster.
The immediate aftermath was filled with outrage, but this incident, like the others, raises an important question: why do such cases continue to occur despite global condemnation? Why does the state fail to protect its citizens from violent mobs? Once again, the broader issues of impunity, religious extremism, and mob justice were overlooked, and the cycle continued unchecked.
4. The Murder of Two Men in Khanewal (2020)
In 2020, two men were killed by a mob in Khanewal, Punjab, after they were falsely accused of desecrating a religious book. The men were beaten to death in broad daylight by people from the local community. The police arrived late and did nothing to stop the violence, allowing the mob to carry out the brutal act.
The chilling aspect of this case is not just the violence itself but the public’s participation in it. These men did not die at the hands of some remote extremists but rather their neighbors. This suggests a breakdown in communal bonds and an increasing acceptance of violence as a form of justice. Once again, there was little public discussion about the failure of the police, and the incident quickly faded from the media’s focus.
5. The Murder of a Young Girl in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2021)
In 2021, a young girl was killed by a mob in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after being accused of immoral behavior. The mob was incited by rumors, and the girl was tortured and killed before anyone could intervene. This case further exposes the dangers of unverified rumors and the ease with which a mob can be incited to violence.
Once again, the police were either complicit or ineffective in preventing this crime. The lack of a legal response and the rise of vigilantism create a society where justice is increasingly determined by the crowd, not by the law.
The Need for Change: Addressing the Root Causes
These five cases are part of a much larger, systemic issue that reflects a failure of law enforcement, a disregard for human life, and a society that is increasingly willing to take justice into its own hands. The root causes of mob violence are multi-faceted:
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Religious Extremism: Pakistan’s blasphemy laws have long been misused to settle personal scores and incite violence. These laws, while intended to protect religious sentiments, have been weaponized, leading to countless deaths.
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Weak Law Enforcement: The repeated failure of the police to intervene in these situations demonstrates a profound breakdown in law and order. The fact that law enforcement is often complicit or ineffective emboldens mobs and exacerbates the problem.
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Cultural Intolerance and Education: Religious intolerance, fueled by both educational gaps and misinformation, is one of the core drivers of mob violence. These incidents expose the widespread lack of tolerance in Pakistani society and the failure of the state to address it through proper civic education and media outreach.
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Impunity and Lack of Accountability: In many of these cases, the perpetrators were not held accountable, which sends a dangerous message—that mob violence will be tolerated as long as it is justified by a perceived moral or religious cause.
Reforming Pakistan’s Approach to Mob Violence
The deaths of Mashal Khan, Priyantha Kumara, and countless others should have spurred immediate reforms. Yet, instead of lasting change, each incident fades into memory, only for another to take its place.
To break this cycle, Pakistan must:
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Strengthen Law Enforcement: The police must be held accountable for their inaction, and law enforcement agencies must be trained to effectively prevent and respond to mob violence.
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Reform Blasphemy Laws: The blasphemy laws must be reformed to prevent their misuse and to protect the innocent from violent accusations.
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Launch Civic Education Campaigns: Public awareness campaigns on the dangers of mob violence, religious intolerance, and the importance of due process are crucial to fostering a more tolerant society.
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Hold Perpetrators Accountable: Pakistan must create a transparent judicial system that punishes mob violence and sets an example for the public.
The tragic death of Tan Man Neel-o-Neel should be the catalyst for change. We can no longer allow these horrifying incidents to be brushed aside, fading from the headlines while the violence continues unchecked. It is time for Pakistan to confront the reality of mob violence, not just through temporary outrage but with sustained action that tackles its root causes. Only then can we begin to rebuild the trust in our law, our institutions, and, ultimately, in each other.
The horrific cycle of violence must end here. If we continue to let these tragedies define us, then we risk normalizing injustice and vigilantism. The question remains: when will we take meaningful action to stop the next tragedy before it happens?
