ISLAMABAD: Punjab’s top cop said on Friday police have arrested over 130 individuals, among them two Christian men accused of desecrating the Holy Qur’an, following an incident in eastern Pakistan where an enraged mob comprising thousands of people set fire to and vandalized churches and Christian residences.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday in the town of Jaranwala, situated in Pakistan’s industrial hub of Faisalabad, after the spread of information that two Christian residents had defiled the Holy Qur’an. According to community leaders who spoke with the media, the rampage continued for about 10 hours, with no discernible intervention from law enforcing agencies. The allegation, however, was refuted by the police.
Thursday saw the deployment of paramilitary Rangers to the town, requisitioned to lend support to the police trying to control the situation. Simultaneously, the incident garnered condemnations from a broad spectrum of voices, including the caretaker prime minister, the army chief, religious scholars, human rights organizations, and civil society members.
“Over 130 individuals involved in the torching of churches have already been apprehended, with the primary suspects also under custody,” Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. Usman Anwar, told Samaa News TV in an exclusive interview.
“The sheer size of the unruly crowd, estimated to be around five to six thousand people, posed a significant challenge for law enforcement.”
The province’s top cop maintained the police did not adopt a confrontational approach since it could have endangered human lives.
“We understand the frustration and concerns regarding our response, but it was crucial to ensure the safety of innocent lives amidst the chaos,” Anwar said.
He noted it was vital to deliver justice to the victims to restore Pakistan’s image on the international stage.
“We are committed to holding those who started this senseless violence accountable in a court of law,” he said, adding the pursuit of justice should remain unclouded by political or partisan motives.
Anwar also recognized the potential for the exploitation of the incident by political factions for personal gains, while simultaneously expressing confidence that the nation’s “solidarity and unwavering dedication to justice” would ultimately prevail.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s Caretaker Prime Minister, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, vowed to “sternly” respond to any attacks targeting religious minorities in Pakistan.
“The minorities, God willing, will stay protected in this country. There may be an attempt to harm them... that would be responded to sternly and strictly by the state and society both,” he said while addressing the maiden meeting of the newly inducted interim federal cabinet.
Blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan and though no one has ever been executed, numerous accused people have been lynched by enraged mobs.
Christians, who make up around two percent of the population, occupy one of the lowest rungs in Pakistani society and are frequently targeted with spurious and unfounded blasphemy allegations that can be used to settle personal vendettas.
