The Jaranwala police in the Faisalabad District of Pakistan have filed two terror cases against over 600 people. The cases were filed in response to the recent violent attack on the Christian community in which their homes and a church building were ransacked and torched.
The violent incident occurred when a mob of hundreds attacked five churches and the residences of Christian community members. The Christian cemetery and the office of the local assistant commissioner were also vandalised. Approximately 3,000 police personnel, including the Elite Force, were deployed, and the Punjab government called in Rangers to control the situation.
According to police and local sources, the violence erupted after some locals claimed to have found desecrated pages of the Holy Quran near a house where two Christian brothers resided at Cinema Chowk in Jaranwala.
As a response to this grave situation, the district administration has implemented Section 144, which prohibits any kind of assembly except for government-organized events, for a period of seven days.
The Punjab government has also ordered the formation of a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the incident. This directive was issued by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq. Punjab police have already made over 100 arrests, and the Rangers have been called in for support.
One of the criminal complaints identifies a mob of 500-600 individuals, led by a group of people, who attacked the Christian community, ransacked homes, and torched the church building. The complaint names eight individuals as leaders of the mob, including one associated with the Jamaat Ahl-e-Sunnat and another with the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
The filed cases include various sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Sections invoked in the FIR include those pertaining to acts of terrorism, rioting, assault, obstruction of public servants, attempted murder, mischief causing damage, and religious insult. Additionally, sections of the Punjab Sound Systems (Regulation) Act 2015 have also been invoked.
The violence unfolded when rumours of a blasphemous act spread across Jaranwala. Public announcements were made from different mosques, inciting people to show their reaction to the alleged incident. The situation escalated when members of the TLP joined, making announcements from mosques and other locations. The mob then attacked the house of the accused individuals, setting it on fire. Subsequently, they attacked several churches and Christian homes in the area.
The Christian community leaders reported that a total of five churches were ransacked and burnt during the attack. A local Christian graveyard was also vandalised. The mob even attacked the office of the Jaranwala Assistant Commissioner.
The situation is currently under investigation, and efforts are being made to restore peace and order in the area.