Pakistani Christians pray at churches which were attacked by mob after blasphemy charge
Jaranwala
Pakistani Christians in the city of Jaranwala on Sunday (August 20) prayed at the churches that were vandalised and burnt by the mobs earlier this week. The riots broke out after alleged desecration of the Holy Quran. Two Christian brothers have been accused of the deed.
The church services at handful of churches in city were led by the bishop of the diocese, Christian community leader Akmal Bhatti told Reuters. He attended one of the services, which drew hundreds of Christians whose homes were partly or completely destroyed when the mob burnt and looted them on Wednesday.
Bhatti said that the pastors distributed food rations to those who were affected.
The provincial government said in a statement on Sunday that compensation of two million rupee ($6,751.05) has been approved for each of the affected families.
The sites of the arson attack are now being guarded by paramilitary troops. The churches that were attacked included the historic Salvation Army Church and Saint Paul Catholic Church.
Reuters cited residents and community leaders who said that a Christian graveyard was also desecrated. The residents added that the mob armed with iron rods, sticks, bricks, knife and daggers went on the rampage without any intervention by police and administration authorities who were present there for over 10 hours.
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Police have denied this, saying it prevented a worse situation.
Clerics from an outlawed Islamist political party - Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) - led the campaign which resulted in the violence, according to residents and government sources.
The TLP has denied this and has claimed that it had joined the police to calm down the situation.
The two Christian men accused of blasphemy have been arrested by the police. The police have said that nearly 160 people involved in the attack have been rounded up.
Blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan but no one has ever been executed. Numerous people accused of blasphemy have been lynched by outraged mobs in the past. A former provincial governor and a minister for minorities were shot dead for trying to reform the blasphemy law.
(With inputs from agencies)
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