Reacting to the killing of a Christian couple for "alleged" blasphemy in Pakistan, a top Vatican official has said that the incident is "a humiliation for all of humanity."
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the chair of the Roman Catholic church's council for interfaith dialogue, said that he was "profoundly shocked" by the horrific death of Shehzad Masih and Shama Bibi, reported the Dawn.
Tauran urged Muslim leaders in Pakistan to condemn the killings and remarked that the first victims of such deeds are Muslims because they "give an image of Islam that is terrible."
Shehzad and his expectant wife, Salma, were beaten up by a mob and burned in a kiln furnace in the town of Kot Radha Kishan in Punjab for "allegedly" desecrating the holy Koran.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) however, said on Wednesday that it found no evidence of the desecration of the holy book during an investigation. It said that the incident appeared to have stemmed from a dispute over wages and outstanding payments.
A criminal case has been filed against at least 460 people and 48 people have been arrested so far, said Pakistan's local police chief. The investigation is still going on.
