Mob Mentality in Pakistan

• By Advocate Izzat Fatima
• 16 june 2025

A detailed analysis of Mob Mentality in Pakistan.

Empathy is a powerful word one that defines our humanity. Without it, we are nothing but empty vessels. In August 2010, the world watched in horror as two young brothers, Mughees and Muneeb Butt, were brutally lynched by a mob in broad daylight in Sialkot, Pakistan. The grainy footage, captured not by journalists but by countless bystanders, showed a crowd of men and even children, some in police uniforms, some laughing, others filming with their phones, while the boys were mercilessly beaten to death. Their only crime? Suspicion, Vengeance. There was no trial, no evidence, and certainly no mercy. It was collective savagery a moment that revealed the inner demons of a society where people claim to follow Islam yet forget a central verse of the Quran:"Whoever takes a life unless as a punishment for murder or for spreading disorder on earth it is as if they have killed all of humankind; and whoever saves a life, it is as if they have saved all of humankind. (Qur’an 5:32). These boys were killed in the holy month of Ramadan, a time of forgiveness and mercy. They were fasting. It is said that the devil is chained during Ramadan, but when humans become the devil, what mercy remains?\r\nThis case, while deeply painful, is not unique. Mob killings in Pakistan whether due to alleged crimes or unverified blasphemy accusations have become a terrifying reflection of a broader cultural crisis. These acts are not just extrajudicial; they represent the normalization of barbarity in the name of honor, religion, or misguided justice. The impulse to punish without due process or fair trial stems not only from ignorance but from a society increasingly desensitized to human suffering and emboldened by the impunity granted to perpetrators is also a reflection of upbringing. Children who witnessed the lynching of Mughees and Muneeb will carry that trauma, or worse, consider such violence normal. And yes, the women who raise these children often in environments of fear, silence, or indoctrination also play a role in shaping the values that sustain this brutality. In a disturbing twist of irony, many who harbor or embrace such intolerant mindsets seek refuge in Western nations Canada, the UK, Germany, and the United States claiming persecution. They leave a country where the rule of power prevails, to enjoy the safety and rights afforded by the rule of law. Outwardly, they behave; but the mindset the rage, the entitlement to violence often remains unfiltered. This is not to say that all asylum seekers from Pakistan are fraudulent. Many face real, life-threatening dangers from extremist groups, state persecution, or sectarian violence. And Western countries must continue to offer sanctuary to the genuinely persecuted. But a more rigorous vetting process is essential one that distinguishes between victims and perpetrators, between those who flee extremism and those who carry it with them. The export of intolerance, if unchecked, poses long-term risks to host societies perhaps not as extreme as what unfolds in Pakistan, but corrosive nonetheless. When Mughees and Muneeb were killed, I was too young to fully comprehend the magnitude of what had happened. Today, as an officer of the court, I revisit the footage and ask myself: How could nearly 100 people laugh and cheer as two innocent boys were beaten to death? What example are we setting for our younger generations? Why has mob violence become normal? Where is the law?\r\nThe tragic deaths of Mughees and Muneeb and countless others who have suffered similar fates are a wake-up call, not just for Pakistan but for the global community. Pakistan must reform its criminal justice system, invest in civic and moral education, and take swift, uncompromising action against inciters and participants of mob violence. At the same time, Western governments must revisit asylum frameworks that ignore the ideological risks posed by individuals who fail or refuse to integrate into democratic and pluralistic societies. Migration is not merely a physical relocation; it must be a moral and civic commitment to the values of the destination country. The real tragedy is not just the murder of two innocent brothers. It is that their killers walked among us smiling, filming, believing they were doing the right thing. And unless we change course, they will continue to walk among us carrying not just their belongings, but their rage.