Over 120 arrested, 600 booked on terrorism charges after Pakistan mob attacks churches

More than 100 people were arrested and at least 600 booked in two terror cases in the aftermath of the torching and ransacking of churches in eastern Pakistan city, police said on Thursday (Aug 17).

Jaranwala police chief Rizwan Khan said that 129 suspects had been arrested so far.

At least five churches came under attack in Jaranwala city of Faisalabad district on Wednesday, following claims that two Christian men desecrated the holy Quran.

Though the two men accused of damaging the Quran, Islam's holy book, have not been arrested, they have been charged with blasphemy, which is punishable by death in Pakistan.

So far, no casualties have been reported, the authorities said.

Situation tense on ground

The situation still remained tense on the ground in Jaranwala, but the local media reports indicated that life was coming back to normal with Christians slowly returning to their homes.

The district authorities have imposed Section 144 for seven days, prohibiting all kinds of assembly, except for events organised by the government.

Media reports said that at least one church was burning on Thursday and four others were also damaged.

“This was a well thought out plan to disrupt peace and a high-level investigation is underway regarding the desecration of the Holy Quran and incidents that take place afterwards,” a spokesperson for the provincial government of Punjab said in a statement.

At least two dozen homes belonging to Christian families were torched or badly damaged during the riots.

Punjab interim CM vows to restore churches

Earlier in the day, the Punjab government ordered the formation of a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the incident, in line with directives issued by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq.

Addressing the reporters, Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi vowed to restore all the churches and Christians’ homes within three to four days.

He also condemned Wednesday’s violence and described such incidents as anti-Islam and against the teachings of the Holy Prophet.

“For the future, we should sit with our minorities and chalk out a plan to prevent such incidents,” he stressed, urging religious leaders to spread the message of the Holy Quran among the people.

On Wednesday, the US urged Pakistan to investigate the mob attacks against churches and Christian homes.

“We are deeply concerned that churches and homes were targeted in response to reported Quran desecration in Pakistan,” the State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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