Jaranwala churches rebuilt

20 worship places damaged in mob attack rehabilitated in two phases

JARANWALA:

The district administration has completed the reconstruction of two churches and the rehabilitation of 20 others that were damaged in a mob attack on August 16 last year.

The violence had been triggered after blasphemous content was allegedly written with the name, phone number and picture of a resident of the Christian Colony in Jaranwala.

As tensions escalated, a mob gathered in the early hours of August 16, leading to widespread panic. Fearing for their lives, many Christian families fled their homes, leaving behind their belongings.

In the aftermath of the attack, the Punjab government had allocated Rs126.49 million for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected churches.

Among the 26 damaged churches, UP Church near 127GB Essa Nagri and FGA Church at Farooq Park were reconstructed.

The 20 other churches in both urban and rural areas were rehabilitated in two phases. The rehabilitation work included extensive repairs such as plastering, painting, tile work, ceiling repairs and the installation of new doors and windows.

Deputy Commissioner Capt (retd) Nadeem Nasir, who oversaw the restoration, stated that the district administration, in collaboration with the communications and works department, had worked diligently to address the damage.

A damage assessment committee was formed immediately after the incident to evaluate the losses suffered by the community.

Nasir said the administration had ensured that the pastors of each church were consulted throughout the process and all necessary details were discussed.

In addition to the structural repairs, the district administration also provided items including tablas, harmoniums, loudspeakers, chairs and security cameras.

The administration extended its support to the affected community by covering fees and distributing free books among schoolchildren. The efforts were aimed at standing in solidarity with the Christian community and reaffirming the government's commitment to fostering interfaith harmony, tolerance and equality.

However, despite the restoration efforts, Minorities Alliance Pakistan Chairman Akmal Bhatti voiced criticism over the reconstruction process. He claimed that the churches had not been rebuilt according to the specific demands of the victims, leaving many families dissatisfied.

He highlighted that 80 families are still awaiting financial assistance, which local authorities had yet to provide.

Bhatti revealed that out of the 303 accused individuals, only 10 remained in custody, while the rest had been released due to what he described as flawed investigations by the Joint Investigation Teams (JITs).

Furthermore, none of the 22 criminal cases related to the Jaranwala incident have been fully prosecuted.

The minority leader emphasised that while the physical restoration of the churches was a positive step, it was far from sufficient in addressing the underlying issues of distrust between communities.

He pointed to the recent boycott of the first remembrance day on August 16 by local journalists as a sign of the ongoing tensions.

He lamented the Punjab government and local administration's failure to meet the victims' demands, particularly about providing justice.

He called for a renewed focus on creating lasting harmony and peace between the communities, stressing that much more needed to be done to heal the wounds inflicted by the violence.