Yesterday, 16th August, Islamists in Pakistan’s Jaranwala district targeted Christians on blasphemy charges. After a Christian citizen, Saleem Masih, was accused of blasphemy against the Quran, the majority Muslim community attacked the minority Christian community and vandalized churches in the neighbourhood.
The three churches vandalized are the Salvation Army Church, the United Presbyterian Church, and the Allied Foundation Church which are situated in the Isa Nagri area of Jaranwala
Here is Bishop Azad Marshall’s tweet:
“Words fail me as I write this. We, Bishops, Priests and lay people are deeply pained and distressed at the Jaranwala incident in the Faisalabad District in Pakistan. A church building is being burnt as I type this message. Bibles have been desecrated and Christians have been tortured and harrased having been falsely accused of violating the Holy Quran. 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.”
And here is another comment of a social media user, with a video showing the Islamic mob while attacking a Church:
More other shocking videos of the incident have gone viral on social media, showing enraged Muslims assaulting an already marginalized minority. According to one news report, the latter are fleeing their homes in an attempt to save their lives from the bloodthirsty crowd. It went on to say that the situation in the neighborhood remained tense.
Despite the large presence of Muslim agitators, fire and smoke can be seen coming from Jaranwala’s oldest church.
The enraged Muslim mob is threatening to burn down Christian homes under the guise of blasphemy. Police are on the scene, but the situation is extremely volatile. Extremists are seriously attacking Christians, their places of worship, and their property.
It is important to note that Pakistan’s treatment of its minorities, particularly Hindus, is already under scrutiny and has been heavily criticized in numerous international reports. Extremists in Pakistan are also notorious for inciting communal passions in the name of blasphemy and targeting minorities, including Hindus and Christians. This oppression, masked by blasphemy accusations, has become a hallmark of Pakistan, where mob attacks on minorities have become routine, often aided and abetted by the legal systems and people in positions of power and authority in the country.
Clearly, the persecutions of Christians, continues.