Govt to pay Rs2m for each house torched in Jaranwala
Perveen Bibi (L) weeps outside the torched Saint John Church in Jaranwala on the outskirts of Faisalabad on August 17, 2023, PHOTO: AFP
The Punjab government will pay Rs2 million in compensation to each family of the Christian community that lost a house during recent violence in Jaranwala.
The announcement was made during the caretaker provincial cabinet’s visit to the Association of Evangelical Churches in Jaranwala on Sunday.
For the first time in the history of the province, Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi presided over a cabinet meeting in the church to express solidarity with the Christian community.
All caretaker provincial ministers, advisers, the chief secretary, additional CH (home), inspector general of police, secretaries and other senior officers of the departments concerned were present on the occasion.
They also participated in the prayer ceremony at the Church.
The chief secretary presented a one-point agenda of the cabinet meeting.
The caretaker cabinet unanimously approved the grant of financial assistance of Rs2 million each for the owners of the housesset ablaze.
Naqvi announced that the cheques of the financial assistance would be handed over to the affected people within 48 hours.
He was informed that the construction and restoration of two churches in Jaranwala had been completed and they had been opened for worship.
The restoration of other churches will soon be completed with the consent of the community.
A special prayer was made for the integrity, stability, progress andprosperity of the people, and for unity and solidarity of the nation.
Addressing the Christian community on the occasion, the caretaker CM said, "It is our promise that justice will definitely be provided and the whole team is working for the provision of justice. Two churches have been restored 100%.”
The caretaker ministers visited a relief camp established for the affected Christian families at Danish School in Jaranwala.
He met the affected families, consoled them and assured them of justice. He also listened to their problems.
Later, the caretaker CM reached Jamia Masjid Sabri in Jaranwala and met the members of a peace committee, religious scholars of all schools of thought and notable personalities. He lauded the efforts of the committee for maintaining peace after the incident.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2023.