Over 100 held for vandalising churches

Multiple churches in a Christian neighbourhood of Jaranwala tehsil of Faisalabad were attacked on Wednesday by an enraged mob over an act of alleged desecration of the Holy Quran.

The police blocked all routes of the Isa Nagri – housing over 500 Christian families.

Superintended of Police Bilal Sulehri, along with Mufti Muhammad Yunus Rizvi and a heavy contingent of police, reached the Cinema Chowk of the area and appealed to the mob to remain peaceful.

He assured that teams had been formed to arrest the blasphemy accused and a case would be registered against them. However, the mob remained adamant on “hanging the accused”.

The locals of the area accused the police of standing by as spectators as hundreds of people, armed with sticks and batons, vandalised the churches besides ransacking and even burning their homes.

Separate media outlets quoted the interim Punjab government officials as saying that more than “100 people have been arrested for their involvement in riots over the alleged blasphemy in Faisalabad’s Jaranwala during which members of the Christian community were targeted”.

Media reports stated that a mob of over 100 people set ablaze the Salvation Army Church, one of the oldest in the area. The United Presbyterian Church, Allied Foundation Church and Shehrunwala Church were also ransacked.

However, a statement issued by the interim Punjab government said: “A large mob of five to six thousand people gathered at various places of Jaranwala in different groups. They attempted to attack localities of a minority which was foiled by the police at various places. An attempt was made to damage various buildings which was pre-empted and countered by the police timely action.”

Rana Imran Jamil, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122, told AFP that four churches had been set on fire. A Christian cemetery was also vandalised, as well as the local government office, as crowds demanded action from the authorities.

Read Govt, TLP agree to stringent anti-blasphemy measures

As panic spread in the area, shops were shut and a strike was called. The situation remained tense despite heavy presence of police at the site.

Videos and messages posted on social media by the people of the area suggested that the mob was reportedly incited by announcement from loudspeakers of mosques about the alleged desecration of religious scriptures by three Christians.

The police registered a blasphemy case under sections 295B and 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). However, the police have yet to take action against the mob that caused panic in the area and damaged private property.

After the incident, Jaranwala Assistant Commissioner Shaukat Masih was immediately transferred and Rana Aurangzeb, the Tandlianwala assistant commissioner, was given the additional charge.

There were no reports of injuries in any of the incidents so far. A police report said that charges would be filed against two Christian men, who had fled the area. The police said that whoever was found involved, would be brought to justice.

"There is a stand-off between the police and the crowds. The crowds are not backing down. Police and Rangers have been deployed to control the situation," Ahad Noor, a district government official, told AFP.

In Lahore, Punjab Inspector General of Police Usman Anwar said portions of the churches had been vandalised.

The police, he added, were “negotiating” with the crowd and the area had been cordoned off.

In a joint statement issued by the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) and the International Interfaith Harmony Council (IIHC), PUC Chairman Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi said religious leaders visited Jaranwala on Wednesday to address the situation.

“They [the leadership of PUC and IIHC] assured that the protection of religious places was not only the duty of the Muslim populace but also a responsibility upheld by the state,” the statement added.

Violence condemned

In a statement on social media platforms, Bishop Azad Marshall called for justice. "A church building is being burnt as I type this message,” he tweeted on the microblogging website X.

He sought “action from law enforcement and those who dispense justice … to intervene immediately and assure us that our lives are valuable in our own homeland that has just celebrated independence and freedom”.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, in a message on X, expressed regret over the incident, warning that strict action would be taken against those who targeted minorities by violating the law in Jaranwala.

The caretaker prime minister stated that the news received from Jaranwala had deeply saddened him, adding that all law enforcers had been instructed to arrest the miscreants involved in these incidents and punish them accordingly.

Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sahrif also described the incident as “sad and disturbing”. In his post on X, he said there was no place for violence in any religion.

“All religious places, Holy Books and personages are sacred and deserve our highest level of respect. I urge the government to take action against the culprits,” Shehbaz added.

He also appeal to the Ulema, Mashaikh, and religious scholars from all schools of thought “to come forward and condemn” the reprehensible actions.

“Such madness can't be allowed. Pakistan belongs to all religious minorities,” he added.

Former foreign minister and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also denounced the violence against the minority community, saying: “Horrified to hear about the attack on Churches in Jaranwala, Faisalabad.”

The PPP chairman wrote on X that “violating the sanctity of places of worship is absolutely unacceptable”.

“The administration must ensure the safety of the Christian community and their Churches.”

Condemning the attack on the churches in Jaranwala, former interior minister Rana Sanaullah demanded of the government to bring the culprits to justice at the earliest. “Extremism and hatred nullify the fundamental principles of Islam.”

Meanwhile, other X users from different walks of life called on the Punjab government to take action against the mob, which reportedly chanted slogans in support of a far-right religio-political party as it resorted to violence.

They included former information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Senator Sarfraz Bugti, former senator Afrasiab Khattak, actor and activist Nadia Jamil, journalist Asad Ali Toor, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and others.

(WITH INPUT FROM AGENCIES AND NEWS DESK)