Political leadership and civil society representatives condemned burning of churches incident in Jaranwala tehsil of Faisalabad as enraged mob vandalized churches over alleged blasphemy allegations.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar condemned the incident and said, “I am gutted by the visuals coming out of Jaranwala, Faisalabad.”
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“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,” Anwarul Haq Kakar said.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari tweeted he was horrified to hear about the attack on Churches in Jaranwala, Faisalabad.
Bilawal said, “Violating the sanctity of places of worship is absolutely unacceptable. The administration must ensure the safety of the Christian community and their Churches.”
Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said what is happening in Jaranwala is sad and disturbing.
“There is no place for violence in any religion,” he tweeted.
PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif said that all religious places, Books and personages are sacred and deserve our highest level of respect.
“I urge the government to take action against the culprits. I also appeal to Ulama, Mashaykh 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 said.
Bring the culprits to book
Former senator Afrasiab Khattak taking to the Twitter said condemned the Jaranwala incident.
“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. Bring the culprits to book,” he said.
What really happened in Jarawala?
As per reports, a number of churches included the Salvation Army Church, United Presbyterian Church, Allied Foundation Church and Shehroonwala Church situated in the Isa Nagri area was torched by a mob.
Bishop Azad Marshall, President diocese of Raiwind Church of Pakistan, said, “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.”
He said 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,” he further tweeted.
“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,” Bishop Azad Marshall said.
Frequency, scale of such attacks increased in recent years: HRCP
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said that mob-led assault on Christian families and their homes and sites of worship in Jaranwala, Faisalabad, following allegations of blasphemy, must be condemned in no uncertain terms.
The rights body said the frequency and scale of such attacks—which are systematic, violent and often uncontainable appear to have increased in recent years.
“Not only has the state failed to protect its religious minorities, but it has also allowed the far right to permeate and fester within society and politics. Both the perpetrators and instigators of this violence must be identified and punished to the full extent of the law.
“The government must waste no time in raising and equipping special police forces to protect religious minorities’ sites of worship as directed by the 2014 Supreme Court judgment,” the HRCP statement reads.
Protect worship places
PPP senator Farhatullah Babar said that distressing reports of desecration of church in Jaranwala in Faisalabad on social media. Reportedly church burnt, Bibles desecrated and Christians tortured. “Silence of administration deafening. Come out clean, dispense justice, ensure safety and security of citizens, protect worship places,” he said.
As per a notification, Jaranwala assistant commissioner Shaukat Masih, was directed to report to the Services and General Administration (S&GA) and Rana Aurangzeb, the assistant commissioner of Tandianwala, was assigned to oversee affairs in Jaranwala as an additional charge for three months.
