Jaranwala: Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) strictly condemns the mob attacks on Christians and vandalizing the Churches over false blasphemy allegations in Jaranwala, a tehsil of district Faisalabad, Pakistan.

HRFP fact finding team rushed to the area and is working on the ground since the riot started. HRFP team collected the facts and evidence that has proved that the main reason for the conflict is once again their personal grudges against the few people from the Christian minority. The vandalizing of 6 Churches, attached residences and setting the dozens houses on fire, burning the Bibles after accusing the two Christians over alleged blasphemy is highly condemnable.  

Naveed Walter president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said that the statements of political leaders after invading and burning the Churches over alleged blasphemy are not enough. The culprits should be penalized for their act that they once again take away their freedom of religion and belief. He said that who and why the members of the Christian community of Jaranwala were targeted specifically. The judicial inquiry should be proceeded on this tragic incident and the rioters who take the law into their hands should be brought to justice, he added. 

Naveed Walter said further that the false allegation of desecrating the Holy Quran is not for the first time. It has been happened before severaly, but they had never been able to prove if any of the allegations was ever true.

Naveed Walter demands to increase the security of Churches and deploy a large amount of law enforcers to Christian colonies of area. He demands to put the culprits behind bars, to those people who are responsible and facilitators for such vandalizing of Churches and Christians homes.

Naveed Walter said, the violence on the name of religion should be discouraged on all levels. The announcement to attack the Churches and target the Christians was made at the Mosque first, that should be enquired too.

Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) will make a detailed report on the basis of facts, evidences & statistics and will bring to public and authorities soon, Naveed Walter added. 

Naveed Walter further stated that, some people in mob had a conflict with the Christian Assistant Commissioner Shaukat Masih also, and this was also a part of what they wanted to target those Christians for.

HRFP team interviewed the people being injured, their homes being looted and the women being abused by these extremists. The timely fleeing of above 200 Christians saved them from casualties. Several videos of mob attacks have been seen over the social media but the eyes of government are closed yet. Instead of shedding the crocodile tears, the government should make a serious strategy to stop these acts and that could change also the mind sets of people, Naveed Walter added.  

Naveed Walter said the riots are directly linked to the FIR was registered on 16th August morning under section 295B and 295C of PPC that accused to two Christian men, Raja Amir and Rocky Masih. FIR stated that the two Christians living in Jaranwala has blasphemed against Holy Quran and Muhammad Mustafa (PBUH) and spoken insulting words against Muslims. FIR has registered by police ASI on the complain of Muhammad Afzal, Noor Hussain and Muhammad Toheed , supported by religious groups, he added.