Pakistan’s Jaranwala violence: 19 churches gutted, says human rights report

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 21 (ANI): A total of 19 churches were fully gutted and 89 Christian houses burnt down in recent violence targeting the Christian community in Jaranwala in Faisalabad, according to a fact-finding report of the Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP).

The HRFP report stated that in the August 16 Jaranwala mob attack on churches and Christians, a total of 19 churches were burnt fully while two churches and some prayer rooms/community halls 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 stated that over 10,000 Christians had hid in sugar cane and other fields, during the first nights of attack.

The HRFP said its report was based on direct information and evidence through the fact-finding mission trip to the sites of the incident, interviews of victims, families, local residents, church leaders, neighbourhoods, journalists, police officials, local authorities, political workers and different stakeholders.

The HRFP team met in person with more than 150 victims and families and church leaders who shared their stories about victimizations and religious persecutions, losses and immediate needs to help them urgently and for longer time, the report stated.  

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

FIR has registered by police ASI on the complaint of Muhammad Afzal, Noor Hussain and Muhammad Toheed, supported by religious groups and the people who have been biased with Shaukat Masih as well. Both the accused are on judicial remand and have appeared at court hearings through video link due to high-security reasons, HRFP stated.

HRFP said that 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 the accusers have 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 never has been asked on that level why he accused 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.

Naveed Walter said, until serious actions of the state and the establishment of a strategy and strict policy against such mob attacks, the same incidents would be repeated as in 2021 when a Sri Lankan national was burnt alive.

In 2014 Kot Radha Kishan Kasur a couple was burnt alive. In 2013 Joseph Colony Lahore attacked burnt houses and churches.

The 2010 attack on Warispura Faisalabad destroyed houses, churches and shops. In 2009 Gojra and Korian attack destroyed and burnt houses and churches including 7 people were burnt alive.

In 2005 the Christians of Sangla Hill were attacked leaving Christian families devastated. In 1997 Shantinagar village was attacked, houses and Churches were burnt to ashes and now a Jaranwala incident, Naveed Walter, President of HRFP said. 

The accusers should be held accountable and questioned from the beginning. If they couldn’t prove their allegations against the accused then they should be brought to justice, Walter added.

According to the HRFP president there is a huge difference between accusations of any minority by Muslims and accusations against Muslims by their own religion of blasphemy.

“When an individual member of the minority community is being accused then the whole community has to suffer while when a Muslim is being accused, only the individual gets hurt. We condemn however the blasphemy accusation at any person belonging to any religion or faith and there should not be a space for any type of justification,” he said.

Naveed Walter said the repeal of blasphemy laws and changing the mindsets of Islamists and the general public could be a milestone if they are serious and sincere about making Pakistan a truly democratic and progressive country. Otherwise, the same incidents would continue, and only the condemnations would be continuing, he added. Even a longer time could not fulfil the trauma of victims, women and children in particular that fled in fear and spent nights with no roof over their heads, he added.

Naveed Walter said that the police and court culture is discouraging religion-based cases, like blasphemy and abductions, forced conversions and forced marriages of minority girls. Such discriminatory laws and practices and violence are one of the main reasons why minorities internally or externally relocate got a chance in such situations.

He said the 23 per cent of minorities reached 5 per cent while the above 90 extra judicial killings have been noticed in blasphemy cases only.