A mob in Pakistan torched five churches and attacked houses of the Christian community in the country’s Faisalabad district on Wednesday over allegations that two men had desecrated the Quran.
As per reports, some Muslim locals alleged that they had found numerous desecrated pages of the holy Islamic text near the house of two Christian brothers at Cinema Chowk in Jaranwala.
The Incident
People, who had alleged that the acts of blasphemy had been undertaken, approached different mosques, where they incited people to show their “reaction” to the incident.
Local sources reported that the situation became more volatile when Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) members entered the scene and made public announcements from mosques and other places.
Pakistan Catholic Bishop’s Conference Archbishop Dr Joseph Arshad demanded the Punjab government take stern action against the elements who attacked the public property and those who encouraged such miscreants.https://t.co/jy6wQDz1tG
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) August 17, 2023
Following this, a mob surrounded the house of the two men, and a spate of violent incidents unravelled. Fortunately, the two men had evacuated by that time.
Subsequently, the mob gathered in Jaranwala and attacked two churches — one Catholic and the other belonging to the Salvation Army.
Several Christian homes in two nearby localities were also attacked. According to Christian community leaders, the mob torched three other churches and looted valuables from the abandoned houses.
Jaranwala pastor Imran Bhatti said the mob ransacked and burnt five churches in the area, including the United Presbyterian Church, Allied Foundation Church and Shehroonwala Church in Isa Nagri.
Additionally, Bhatti remarked that the attackers attacked a local Christian graveyard and vandalised graves there.
The office of Jaranwala Assistant Commissioner Shaukat Masih, who had already left, was also attacked by the mob.
Government Reaction
Pakistan’s interim PM Anwaar ul Haq Kakar assured that stern action would be taken against those violating minority rights. Former Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incident and said, “Pakistan belongs to all religious minorities.”
I am gutted by the visuals coming out of Jaranwala,#Faisalabad. Stern action would be taken against those who violate law and target minorities. All law enforcement has been asked to apprehend culprits and bring them to justice. Rest assured that the government of Pakistan stands… https://t.co/GHWUGA1NNq
— Anwaar ul Haq Kakar (@anwaar_kakar) August 16, 2023
After the incident, Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar reached Jaranwala to monitor the situation.
The Punjab government issued a high alert following the incident, while the IGP deployed 3,000 police personnel from various police units. One hundred people have been arrested so far.
The district administration imposed Section 144 for seven days, prohibiting all kinds of assembly except for events organised by the government.
Christians Call Out Police Inaction
Although an FIR was reportedly registered against the two suspects who allegedly desecrated the Holy Quran and wrote blasphemous text on its pages, people have called out the lack of an FIR against those involved in the violence.
The attacks have drawn the ire of Christian leaders, who have accused the police of inaction during the whole episode.
Words fail me as I write this. We, Bishops, Priests and lay people are deeply pained and distressed at the Jaranwala incident in the Faisalabad District in Pakistan. A church building is being burnt as I type this message. Bibles have been desecrated and Christians have been… pic.twitter.com/xruE83NPXL
— Bishop Azad Marshall (@BishopAzadM) August 16, 2023
President Bishop of the Church of Pakistan Azad Marshall also condemned the violence.
He alleged that copies of the Bible were burnt and desecrated, and Christian community members were tortured and harassed after being “falsely accused of violating the Holy Quran.”
US Urges Action; Pakistani Blasphemy Law
The US voiced alarm at the attack and urged the Pakistani government to investigate the attacks.
“We urge Pakistani authorities to conduct a full investigation into these allegations and call for calm,” US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.
Pakistan was declared an Islamic country in 1973, after which Islam became the state religion.
The country’s blasphemy laws are stringent and criminalise acts that distort a religious place or object. A violation of the rules can invite one to ten years in jail, while a statement against the Prophet Mohammed can attract a death sentence or life imprisonment.
The law has invited criticism from various human rights bodies as it targets minorities disproportionately.