Christians in Jaranwala are still waiting for justice two years after mobs torched churches and homes in what has been described as the worst anti-Christian violence in Pakistan’s history.
Bishop Indrias Rehmat of Faisalabad said no one has been held accountable for the 16 August 2023 attacks that destroyed 26 churches, 80 homes, parish halls, priests’ residences, and even gravestones.
“Justice has not been done. The police have not done their duty. Nobody has been punished and nobody has been dealt with properly. At this stage, we do not see any hope of any culprit being punished,” he told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
Faisalabad’s Anti-Terrorism Court acquitted all 10 men accused of burning one of the churches in June. More than 5,200 suspects were identified and 380 were arrested, but all were later freed on bail or acquitted.
“What’s changed over the last two years since the attacks is that people have now become ready to fight for their rights. They say we should shout and scream,” Bishop Rehmat said.
Anger in the community has deepened as the only convictions so far have been against Christians. Brothers Rocky and Raja Masih were accused and later acquitted of blasphemy, while another Christian, Ehsan Masih, was convicted of sharing an image of the damaged Qur’an.
In April, Christian man Pervaiz Masih was sentenced to death for allegedly desecrating the Qur’an and implicating Raja in a personal vendetta.
Father Khalid Rashid Asi, director of the National Commission for Justice and Peace in Faisalabad, said threats continue to silence witnesses.
“There are individuals in the area telling our people not to come to the courts, and our people are afraid because the Muslim terrorists and fundamentalists are very strong,” he said.
The priest warned that threats from extremists continue to silence witnesses, adding that the Christian community remains angry after two years without justice.
He noted that none of the Muslim suspects have been convicted, while many have already been freed on bail.
The government pledged compensation, but Fr. Rashid criticized the rebuilding program, saying some structures were poorly repaired.
Tensions escalated this week when a Muslim cleric described churches as “heaps of filth” during a speech in Islamabad.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan condemned the remarks as “offensive” and “deeply derogatory.”
