PESHAWAR/SWAT: The members of Christian community held protests on Sunday against burning of churches and houses in Jaranwala area of Punjab and demanded action against the people involved in the incident.

Holding banners and placards, the protesters gathered outside Peshawar Press Club and chanted slogans against the Jaranwala incident. They strongly condemned the incident and demanded of the government to order an inquiry into the case to arrest the culprits without further delay.

“In case the government does not take immediate action, then we will be forced to protest in Islamabad,” they said.

The protesters were led by Pakistan Youth Parliament minister for minorities Gideon Joseph, provincial president of Minorities Alliance Pakistan Anush Bhatti, Bishop of Pakistan Humphrey Sarfaraz Peter and political activist Daniyal Jamshed while Hindu community leader Haroon Sarb Dayal also participated in the demonstration.

They said that in the Jaranwala tragedy, churches were burnt and houses of Christians were torched and vandalised while Bible was also desecrated.

“The sentiments of the Christian community have been hurt by the incidents,” said Anush Bhatti. He added that the state failed to provide protection to Christians.

“I request that the lives and properties of Christians should be protected. Churches and settlements of Christians should be given fool-proof security and such evil elements should be severely punished so that more incidents can be prevented,” he said.

The protestors demanded of the Punjab caretaker chief minister to visit Jaranwala as soon as possible and announce financial package to compensate the affected people besides repairing torched churches and houses.

In Swat, the Christian community staged a rally against the Jaranwala incident.

Led by St. Luke’s Church priest Qaiser Shehbaz, the members of the Christian community including Javed Sadiq Masih, Ayaz Masih, Bansrilal of the Sikh community, Sardar Homeo Singh, social workers Irfan Hussain Babak and Shamsher Ali gathered in front of Swat Press Club.

They were holding banners inscribed with slogans against attacks on churches and houses of Christians in Jaranwala.

Addressing the demonstration, Qaiser Shehbaz and other speakers said that it was not fair to punish the entire community for the crime of an individual.

“We want the people involved in this incident to be severely punished,” they said and added that practical steps should be taken to rebuild the churches and other buildings in Jaranwala.

“We are patriotic Pakistanis and we have always played a role for the stability and security of the country since the time of independence. We will continue to be patriotic,” they said and demanded of the government to provide protection to them.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2023