LAHORE: Today marks two years since the attacks on Christian community and churches in Jaranwala by mobs.

On this solemn anniversary, Michelle Chaudhry, president of The Cecil & Iris Chaudhry Foundation (CICF), stated: “The Jaranwala tragedy was not an isolated event, it was a grim reminder of the deep-rooted intolerance and systemic discrimination faced by religious minorities in Pakistan. Mobs and police are repeatedly setting precedents for vigilante injustice; which violates the Constitution and the Penal Code of Pakistan.”

She stressed that no Christian in Pakistan would dare to commit blasphemy but the dangers posed by the misuse of the blasphemy laws and the failure of state institutions to act swiftly to protect its citizens had been exposed on numerous occasions.

“Today yet again we call upon the Government of Pakistan to ensure that all perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice, and that the survivors of Jaranwala receive a comprehensive rehabilitation, financial compensation, and long-term support which they were promised. Impunity around violence against religious minorities in Pakistan has to end,” Ms Chaudhry emphasized.

“We also urge the state to take urgent and meaningful steps to reform laws that are misused to target vulnerable communities, particularly the blasphemy provisions,” she added.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2025