The August 16 attack on the Christian community in Jaranwala, Faisalabad, was abhorrent, and it was carried out in response to a single accusation of blasphemy against two local Christian youth—an accusation that has not yet been looked into, confirmed, or substantiated, Minority Rights March and the Aurat March Karachi said in a condemnation statement said on Thursday.
As is seen in such cases, a mob instigated by local clerics proceeded to ransack and burn homes of the Christian community, destroy and desecrate Holy Churches, and burn the Holy Bible.
“This incident is yet another organized and a planned mob attack on minorities in the growing violence spree of burning of Churches, Temples, and other communal places of worship of minorities, and extra-judicial violence on allegations of blasphemy,” the rights group said.
“And thus this raises the questions about assurances given to religious minorities in the Constitution about freedom of life and liberty. Are religious minorities in Pakistan not entitled to constitutional rights to life, liberty, security and religious freedom? Should these attacks be interpreted as furtherance of any unspoken policy to eradicate religious minorities from Pakistan?. The representatives of the Aurat and Minority Rights March fear that these attacks have further raised terror and fear among the minority communities.”
This horrific incident also calls foremost into question the competence of the Punjab Police, who, in respect of the alleged incident of blasphemy, had registered FIR No. 1258/2023 at Police Station City Jaranwala at 07:00 AM on August 16, thus they were well aware of the brewing situation.
However, the allegation was allowed to be floated and propagated by miscreants, and clerics who called for mob violence. A mob was assembled and a pre-planned organized attack against the Christian community was carried out – whilst throughout the ordeal the Punjab Police and LEAs, whose job otherwise was to ensure fair investigation and due process in determining the veracity of the blasphemy allegation, remained silent spectators to the cruelty inflicted upon our minority brothers and sisters. We are appalled at the statement given by the I.G. Punjab whereby he has termed those resorting to this sheer act of terrorism and vandalism as ‘protestors’ and instead of lodging an FIR against them and arresting them, he has claimed to be ‘negotiating’ with them.
This incident once again calls into question the writ of the State, its ability to ensure protection of the life, liberty and safety to religious minorities. The states failure to ensure due process, addressing and controlling growing radicalism and incidents of extra-judicial retribution and mob violence following a blasphemy allegation- is baffling to say the lease. Furthermore, we ask whether the LEAs are plagued with incompetence or whether they act as a malicious complicit force capable of such crimes. In either case the Punjab Government, LEAs and administrators should be held accountable.
The rights group demanded that an FIR in respect of this incident of mob violence to be lodged forthwith and an impartial task force/joint investigation team be set up to investigate the incident, including the role of the LEAs and their failure to act preemptively and/or apprehend the miscreants.
