Most suspects in 2023 anti-Christian rampage in Pakistan at large – Amnesty International

Police officials and residents stand amid debris outside the torched Saint John Church in Jaranwala on the outskirts of Faisalabad on August 17, 2023, a day after an attack by Muslim men following spread allegations that Christians had desecrated the Holy Quran. (AFP)
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Updated 16 August 2024
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Most suspects in 2023 anti-Christian rampage in Pakistan at large – Amnesty International

  • The Jaranwala incident was one of worst attacks on Christians, in which churches and homes were destroyed
  • International rights group says nearly 40 percent of victims who lost property are still awaiting government compensation

MULTAN, Pakistan: Most of the suspects in a rampage last year against minority Christians in eastern Pakistan over alleged blasphemy are not in custody and authorities have failed to deliver justice to the victims, a human rights group said Friday.

“More than 90 percent of the suspects of the attack in Jaranwala, in Punjab’s Faisalabad district, are still at large,” Amnesty International said in a statement on the anniversary of one of Pakistan’s worst attacks on Christians, in which churches and homes of Christians were destroyed.

The violence erupted after Muslims alleged that they saw a local Christian and his friend desecrating pages from a Holy Qur’an. The attack drew nationwide condemnation. No one died, as terrified Christians quickly fled to safer places.

Amnesty International said it obtained its information from police after filing a Right to Information Request. It said of the 5,213 accused, 380 were arrested and 4,833 were still at large. It said of those who were arrested, 228 were released on bail and 77 others had the charges against them dropped.

It said trials of the suspects have not started and about 40 percent of victims who lost property are still awaiting government compensation.

Abid Khan, the regional police chief, said investigators have referred the cases of suspects linked to the violence to an anti-terrorism court, and their trial was expected to start soon.

“Despite the authorities’ assurances of accountability, the grossly inadequate action has allowed a climate of impunity for the perpetrators of the Jaranwala violence,” Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for South Asia, said in the statement.

Blasphemy accusations are common in Pakistan. Under its laws, anyone found guilty of insulting Islam or Islamic religious figures can be sentenced to death. While authorities have yet to carry out any death sentences for blasphemy, often just the accusation can spark riots and incite mobs to violence, lynching and killings.

Yaqoob Yousaf, a priest in Jaranwala, told The Associated Press on Friday that most of the suspects in the attacks had been freed. He said attacks on Christians on false accusations are continuing and that Christians are “still living in a state of fear” in various parts of the country.


Pakistan regulator amends law to facilitate capital raising by listed companies

Updated 19 January 2026
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Pakistan regulator amends law to facilitate capital raising by listed companies

  • The amendments address challenges faced by listed companies when raising further capital from existing shareholders through a rights issue
  • Previously, listed companies were prohibited from announcing a rights issue if the company, officials or shareholders had any overdue amounts

KARACHI: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has notified amendments to the Companies (Further Issue of Shares) Regulations 2020 to facilitate capital raising by listed companies while maintaining adequate disclosure requirements for investors, it announced on Monday,

The amendments address challenges faced by listed companies when raising further capital from existing shareholders through a rights issue. Previously, listed companies were prohibited from announcing a rights issue if the company, its sponsors, promoters, substantial shareholders, or directors had any overdue amounts or defaults appearing in their Credit Information Bureau (CIB) report.

This restriction constrained financially stressed yet viable companies from raising capital, even in circumstances where existing shareholders were willing to support revival, restructuring, or continuation of operations, according to the SECP.

“Under the amended framework, the requirement for a clean CIB report will not apply if the relevant persons provide a No Objection Certificate (NOC) regarding the proposed rights issue from the concerned financial institution(s),” the regulator said.

The notification of the amendments follows a consultative process in which the SECP sought feedback from market stakeholders, including listed companies, issue consultants, professional bodies, industry associations, law firms, and capital market institutions.

The amendments are expected to enhance market confidence, improve access to capital for listed companies, and strengthen transparency within the rights issue framework, according to the SECP.

“To ensure transparency and protect investors’ interests, companies in such cases must make comprehensive disclosures in the rights offer document,” the regulator said.

“These disclosures must include details of any defaults or overdue amounts, ongoing recovery proceedings, and the status of any debt restructuring.”

The revised regulations strike an “appropriate balance” between facilitating corporate rehabilitation and enabling investors to make informed investment decisions, the SECP added.