Pakistan's Jaranwala Violence: 19 Churches Torched, Houses Of Christians Burnt, Says Human Rights Report

As many as 19 churches were fully gutted and nearly 89 houses of Christians were burnt in recent strife targeting the Christian community in Pakistan’s Faisalabad, as per a fact-finding report of the Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP). The HRFP report stated that in the August 16 mob attack on churches and people of the Christian community in Jaranwala, a total of 19 churches were torched, while two others were also affected.     

It further said over 400 houses were affected in total with 89 Christian houses including those of pastors and priests being completely gutted while 15 houses were partially destroyed.

The report further says that over 10,000 people had hid in sugarcane and other fields to save their lives during the attack.

The human rights agency said its report was based on fact findings and research ascertained by visiting the incident sites, interviewing victims, and talking to journalists. Several politicians and other stakeholders were consulted too before framing the comprehensive report.

The HRFP fact-finding team observed that household items were looted, and the rest were burnt. It said that since the people fled on time, they managed to escape. The human rights team said that most of those who fled are facing traumatic conditions with several people sustaining injuries and a few women reporting abuses. Most of them were afraid that they did not want to return to their homes ever, the report said.

FIR was registered on August 16, morning, under Sections 295B and 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code against two Christian men. FIR stated that the duo was living in Jaranwala and had blasphemed against Holy Quran and Muhammad Mustafa (PBUH) by using insulting words against Islam and Prophet Muhammad.

HRFP said it had learnt from survivors that different Islamic religious groups, local clerics and religious fundamentalists supported and facilitated the attackers. Announcements by the cleric of a local mosque further provoked people.

Naveed Walter, President of HRFP, said in blasphemy cases against minorities, it has never been proven if someone ever truly committed blasphemy. But never have the accusers been brought to justice.

The same situation was seen in Sawan Masih's case of Joseph Colony, who spent 7 years in jail while the accuser has never been asked on that level why he accused the former falsely. In Rimsha's case, even the religious cleric Hafiz Muhammad Khalid was proven guilty that he did trap Rimsha in a blasphemy case, but the court gave him relief. Asia Bibi was convicted of blasphemy in 2010 and was released in 2018 after a Supreme Court decision proving her innocent but her accusers have never been questioned on those levels, Walter said.