An act of terrible injustice against a religious minority saw a church in Faisalabad, Pakistan, vandalized and set on fire. A church on Jaranwala road in the Faisalabad region of Punjab Province reportedly was damaged and ransacked by Pakistani Islamists.
A Christian man had been accused of blasphemy, and this incident followed. Images from the scene have been widely shared on social media. According to accounts, neighbors in the region around the church have also vandalized and set fire to Christian homes.
Claims of blasphemy
An FIR has reportedly been filed, and the police are working to get the situation under control. It happened in Faisalabad, where a Christian minority family had been accused of insulting the Holy Book.
Hundreds of people congregated at the scene, some climbing to the church’s steeple and leaving graffiti. The church was then reportedly set on fire.
The mob was vandalizing the church while chanting anti-Islamic rhetoric. It has also been alleged that Christians in the area have damaged their homes.
This is the real face of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, a country of extremists and terrorists
August 16, 2023 Jaraanwala Faisalabad A Pakistani #Christian man Salim Masih is allegedly Accused of #blasphemy of quran.
The fear among Christians is raising of being burnt by the vigilantes.
The situation is getting worse as the clock ticked by. Today the announcements were… pic.twitter.com/cw6gcOfHNf
— Faraz Pervaiz (@FarazPervaiz3) August 16, 2023
August 16,2023 #Christian are attacked by charged Islamic Mob in.#jaranwala. #blasphemy pic.twitter.com/0zDw2g0Dza
— Faraz Pervaiz (@FarazPervaiz3) August 16, 2023
they are attacking all the #Christian properties in the area. #Jaranwala #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/CvLEoWVTCp
— Faraz Pervaiz (@FarazPervaiz3) August 16, 2023
This is the 4th #church burned today. Mob is heading to the burn more churches in Faisalabad.#Christian community SOS today #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/OlVILARMVF
— Faraz Pervaiz (@FarazPervaiz3) August 16, 2023
Bishop criticizes the incident.
Over many years, the government has been accused of committing crimes against its Hindu, Sikh, Hindu, and Ahmediya minorities. Many members of the country’s minority population have been victims of oppression. In response to the tragedy, Bishop Azad Marshal said, “Words fail me as I write this.
Bishops, priests, and the faithful of the Faisalabad District in Pakistan are devastated by the events in Jaranwala. While I type this, someone is setting fire to a church. Christians have been wrongly accused of violating the Holy Quran, leading to desecration of the Bible and torture and harassment.
We implore our nation’s law enforcement and those charged with ensuring the protection of its residents to take swift action and reassure us that our lives have value in this newfound country of independence and liberty.
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