Qazi Faez Isa, the soon-to-be Chief Justice, undertook a solidarity visit to Jaranwala, a tehsil in Faisalabad, to assess the situation and meet with the Christian community following a distressing incident involving alleged blasphemy allegations that led to the burning of several houses and churches.
This past week, a mob targeted and vandalized numerous churches, igniting fires that consumed several homes in Jaranwala. The actions of the mob were reportedly incited by clerics’ announcements in mosques, asserting blasphemy allegations against the Christian community.
In response to the escalating violence, paramilitary troops were summoned to restore order and control the situation as outlined in an official government directive reported by Reuters.
The incident triggered widespread condemnation on social media, drawing outrage from political and religious figures across Pakistan who vehemently disapproved of the extreme behavior and expressed their solidarity with the affected community.
Accompanied by his wife, Qazi Faez Isa, the soon-to-be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, arrived in Jaranwala to assess the situation firsthand. His visit extended to the Christian colony, where he evaluated the aftermath of the attacks on houses and churches earlier in the week.
Justice Isa’s visit was marked by his expression of displeasure at the state of the streets even after three days had passed since the incident.
He directed the deputy commissioner to ensure immediate cleanup.
While meeting with the victims, Justice Isa conveyed his deep regret for the distressing incident and assured them of his unwavering support.
He emphasized that the Christian community holds equal rights like all citizens and stressed the principle of equality before the law.
Addressing the Christian victims, Justice Isa highlighted that it’s the responsibility of Muslims to apprehend wrongdoers if churches are targeted, underscoring that Christians have the same rights to construct churches as Muslims do to build mosques.
During his visit, both Justice Isa and his wife extended financial assistance to the victims and distributed essential food supplies to those affected.
“I am here as a fellow citizen, and it’s incumbent upon all of us to assist you,” Justice Isa conveyed to the victims, reaffirming his commitment to stand with them during this challenging time.
