An enraged mob attacked and vandalized multiple churches in the Jaranwala tehsil of Faisalabad, Pakistan, on Wednesday following allegations of blasphemy.
According to Christian leader Akmal Bhatti, the crowd set fire to at least five churches and looted abandoned houses after clerics in mosques incited the violence.
Images shared on social media depicted smoke billowing from the church buildings while individuals set fire to furniture pulled from within.
Additionally, a Christian cemetery and the local government office were also subjected to vandalism.
To voice their anger, dozens of people blocked a nearby highway.
The local police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the accused under sections 295B and 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code, related to defiling religious texts and derogatory remarks about religious figures.
Punjab police chief Usman Anwar told the media that negotiations were ongoing with the protesters, and the area had been cordoned off.
He noted that smaller churches in narrow lanes had been targeted along with a main church. Peace committees were activated across the province to contain the situation. However, no arrests had been made at the time of reporting.
Reports indicated that even the assistant commissioner of the area, a member of the Christian community, had to be evacuated as the crowd turned against him. Christian leaders accused the police of being passive observers during the incident.
The Punjab Home Department spokesperson, Amjad Kalyar, confirmed that a request for the deployment of Rangers in the area had been made, but a decision was pending.
Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, in a tweet, has vowed stern action against those violating the law and targeting minorities, stating that law enforcement had been directed to apprehend the culprits.
Religious leaders, including the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, visited the area to address the situation.
In a joint statement issued by the PUC and International Interfaith Harmony Council (IIHC), the religious leaders emphasized the shared responsibility of safeguarding worship places and residences of all communities.
Prominent figures, including former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and human rights organizations, condemned the incident.
Shehbaz Sharif stressed that strict action should be taken against the violators, emphasizing that such acts were against the teachings of Islam and the Constitution.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) demanded the identification and punishment of the perpetrators and called for the swift establishment of special police forces to protect religious minorities’ places of worship.
In response, political parties like PTI expressed regret and held the administration, state machinery, and police accountable for the incident.
