Screengrab of footage of a church being torched in Jaranwala
A mob on Wednesday ransacked and set on fire at least four churches in the Jaranwala district of Faisalabad after being riled up against the Christian minority by clerics over allegations of blasphemy against two members of a local family.
According to footage available on social media, and confirmed to daily Dawn by pastor Imran Bhatti, the Salvation Army Church, United Presbyterian Church, Allied Foundation Church and Shehroonwala Church had all been ransacked and set alight. Further footage showed the mob ransacking and looting the house of the Christian cleaner accused of blasphemy. The local Christian cemetery was also vandalized by the mob, which demolished the main entrance to it.
“Words fail me as I write this. We bishops, priests and laypeople are deeply pained and distressed at the Jaranwala incident in the Faisalabad district in Pakistan,” Church of Pakistan President Bishop Azad Marshall wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “A church building is being burnt as I type this message. Bibles have been desecrated and Christians have been tortured and harassed, having been falsely accused of violating the holy Quran. We cry out for justice and action from law enforcement and those who dispense justice and the safety of all citizens to intervene immediately and assure us that our lives are valuable in our own homeland that has just celebrated independence and freedom,” he added.
Following the riots, police filed a blasphemy case against two accused of the same family under Sections 295B/295C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which carry punishments of life imprisonment or death. In a report submitted to senior officials, local police said the accused were on the run and had not been taken into custody. The local administration has also requested the requisition of the paramilitary Rangers to help maintain security amidst a “sensitive and vulnerable” situation.
Speaking with daily Dawn, Punjab Inspector General for Police Usman Anwar said police were negotiating with the protesters to call off their rioting, adding the area had been cordoned off. He also confirmed that the mob had set fire to the office of a local assistance commissioner, who is also a member of the Christian community. He said the official had been evacuated and taken to safety after the mob attempted to attack him.
Anwar claimed “portions” of multiple churches had been vandalized by the rioters, adding “peace committees” and police were working to restore peace. In a video statement, representatives of the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) said they had formed a “committee” to examine the issue and denied any role in inciting the crowds to take the law into their own hands.
In footage available on social media, however, local clerics can be heard exhorting people to gather to demand action against the accused. After the mob gathered numbers, another cleric led celebratory chants for the “successful” registration of a blasphemy case against the accused and the “suspension” of the assistant commissioner seeking to maintain the peace. Police have not yet given any indication of registering cases against these individuals for incitement.
Former senator Afrasiab Khattak condemned the incident on Twitter. “Pakistani state has failed to provide security to the worship places of people who follow religions other than Islam. Impunity to the crimes committed in the name of religion has emboldened extremists and terrorists,” he said, adding the culprits should be brought to book.
Similarly, former MNA Bushra Gohar said the state had failed to protect the lives, livelihoods and properties of religious minorities. “They live in constant fear and are easy victims of false allegations,” she added.
In a statement, the National Commission for Human Rights said a team had been dispatched to the site. “The rising number of cases of alleged blasphemy and mob violence are extremely concerning,” it wrote on Twitter. “Government must take strong action against perpetrators and ensure writ of law,” it added.
Former interior minister Rana Sanaullah also “strongly” condemned the incident on Twitter. “The culprits must be brought to justice at the earliest, and the law should take its due course,” he wrote. “Extremism and hatred nullify the fundamental principles of Islam,” he added.
Senator Sarfraz Bugti, who is rumored to be a frontrunner for appointment to the caretaker federal cabinet, said this “madness” cannot be allowed. “Punjab government should enforce its full might to protect the Christian churches and homes. We have a responsibility toward the minorities in our country, and we [cannot] let the crisis worsen any further!” he added.
Condemning the riots in a statement, Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Tahir Ashrafi stressed that Pakistan was not a “lawless country” where anyone could be permitted to take the law into their own hands. “Culprits of this heinous crime should be apprehended and punished ASAP. There is no space in Islam for violence,” he added.
Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said he was “horrified” to learn of the attack on churches in Jaranwala. “Violating the sanctity of places of worship is absolutely unacceptable. The administration must ensure the safety of the Christian community and their churches,” he said.
In a statement on Twitter, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar said he was “gutted” by the images of the arson at Jaranwala. “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 with our citizenry on equal basis,” he added.