Several churches were vandalised in Pakistan's Punjab province on Wednesday. This resulted in violence and ruckus in the Jaranwala district, Faisalabad. More than 100 people have been arrested for targeting Christians, accusing them of violating the Holy Quran.
The US State Department Principal Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel expressed concern and said, “... we are always concerned of incidents of religiously motivated violence". Patel urged Pakistani authorities to probe into the allegations and support peaceful freedom of expression and added that violence or the use of threats is never an acceptable form of expression.
"Violence or the threat of violence is never an acceptable form of expression, and we urge Pakistani authorities to conduct a full investigation into these allegations and call for calm for all of those involved," Patel told ANI.
According to a PTI report, after riots broke out as a result of the vandalism, authorities had to deploy paramilitary forces to protect the minority Christian community.
Punjab interim government’s spokesperson said the provincial government has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident, Geo News reported. Pakistan's caretaker Anwaar-Ul-Haq Kakar, on Wednesday, said he has vowed to take action against those who violate the law and target minorities. Taking to the social media platform, X, he wrote, "I am gutted by the visuals coming out of Jaranwala #Faisalabad. Stern action would be taken against those who violate the law and target minorities. All law enforcement has been asked to apprehend culprits and bring them to justice. Rest assured that the government of Pakistan stands with our citizenry on equal basis."
Christian leaders, in the meanwhile, claimed that the police failed to take action as Christians were tortured and harassed. “We cry out for justice and action from law enforcement and those who dispense justice and the safety of all citizens to intervene immediately and assure us that our lives are valuable in our own homeland that has just celebrated independence and freedom," Bishop Azad Marshall, posted on X.
The suspects who allegedly desecrated the Quran and made objectionable comments about the Prophet have been booked under 295-C and 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code. The brother and sister duo-- Raja Amir Masih and Raki Masih and their family have fled. As per the law, Raja and Raki could face the death penalty or life imprisonment for defiling the Prophet.