Police detained over 100 Muslims in overnight operations in an eastern Pakistani region where a Muslim crowd had assaulted churches and residences of minority Christians. This occurrence led authorities to call in troops to restore order. The incident was triggered by accusations that a Christian man had defiled the Quran.
Thankfully, there were no casualties as Christian residents in a residential part of the city of Jaranwala, within the Faisalabad district, had relocated to safer locations following one of the deadliest attacks against Christians in the country. Christians started returning to their homes on Thursday, only to find that at least one church had been set ablaze. The riots resulted in the damage of four other churches, as well as the burning or severe damage of about two dozen homes.
Outside her burned home, Shazia Amjad recounted, "We were at home when we suddenly heard that a mob was approaching, burning homes and attacking churches." She further mentioned that rioters set fire to their belongings and stole some items as she and her family sought refuge elsewhere. Similar ordeals were described by other Christians who were bewildered by the situation. Local Christians tried to console one another amid the destruction, with many women mourning and lamenting the damage. Those whose homes were ravaged were unsure of their next steps.
A local priest, Khalid Mukhtar, shared that most Christians in the area had fled to safety, including himself as his own house had been burned. He believed that a significant portion of Jaranwala's 17 churches had been targeted. Muslim clerics came to Jaranwala to help pacify the situation as security personnel patrolled the area. In response to the violence, schools and offices were closed, and rallies were banned for a week to prevent further unrest.
The violence was widely condemned across the nation, leading the interim Prime Minister, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, to instruct the police to apprehend the rioters. As of Thursday, Rizwan Khan, the regional police chief, reported that 129 suspects had been apprehended and the situation was under control.
The violence had erupted when some Muslims in the area claimed to have witnessed a local Christian, Raja Amir, and his friend tearing pages from the Quran, throwing them on the ground, and making disrespectful comments on other pages. Police are attempting to locate Mr. Amir to ascertain whether he indeed desecrated the holy book of Islam. Following this incident, a mob quickly assembled and launched attacks on multiple churches and several Christian residences.
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