Justice Qazi Faez Isa, a senior judge of the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan, paid a visit to the Jaranwala tehsil in Faisalabad district on Saturday to show solidarity with the local Christian community affected by recent riots stemming from allegations of blasphemy.
On August 16, a mob targeted the Christian community in Jaranwala, ransacking and torching their churches and homes, resulting in the destruction of at least 19 churches and 86 homes. In response, the Punjab police have arrested 145 individuals, including two prime suspects, out of the 1,470 who have been accused, and have registered five cases in connection with the violence.
The violent incidents have triggered nationwide outrage, with religious clerics condemning the attacks and calling for “exemplary punishment” for the culprits. Justice Isa, accompanied by his wife, personally visited the affected area to meet with the victims and assess the damage to the burnt buildings.
During his interaction with the Christian victims, Justice Isa expressed his belief that it is the responsibility of Muslims to apprehend the attackers when churches are targeted. He also mentioned that as a judge, he does not typically communicate with journalists, but had written a message for the locals. In addition, Justice Isa brought food packets for the affected community members as a gesture of support, acknowledging that it was a small contribution in comparison to the scale of their needs.
Justice Isa urged others to provide similar assistance and emphasized that Muslims have a greater responsibility to help the Christian community. He raised a question about dependence solely on the state, pointing out the slow bureaucratic processes, such as tendering, which can significantly delay aid distribution. Justice Isa asked the Christian leader to identify those in the community who were most in need based on their financial situations, and distribute the items accordingly.
In parallel, an investigation is underway into a cleric and others who used mosque loudspeakers to incite protests against the alleged blasphemy incident, which eventually led to violence. The Punjab Inspector General informed that more than 125 people have been arrested in connection with the vandalism, thanks to the use of facial recognition technology, mobile phone geo-fencing, and data from social media.
The violence in Jaranwala escalated when thousands of people poured into the area from other districts, ransacking homes and prompting Christians to flee. The response by the police was cautious, considering the potential for further injuries and deaths. Negotiations with religious leaders eventually led to calls for calm. To reassure the Christian community, the police have stationed officers to guard 3,200 churches across Punjab.
Stressing the importance of religious tolerance, the Inspector General stated that it is the duty of both clerics and the government to ensure that religion is not misused. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed concern over the increasing number and scale of attacks on religious minorities in recent years.