Authorities in Pakistan’s Punjab province have detained more than 100 people following Wednesday’s crowd invasion and burning of churches, sparking questions about the country’s treatment of religious minorities.
The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), a Pakistani government agency, asserts that since Wednesday, at least 17 churches have been vandalized. The attacks took place after a Christian man was accused of committing blasphemy and desecrating the Quran.
“According to NCHR inquiry, 17 Churches in #Jaranwala have been targeted. 12 registered churches and 5 smaller, unregistered churches,” NCHR posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday.
According to activists, Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws have historically been used to target minorities and exclude them from public life. As a result, Christian communities there are frequently the target of these laws.
A statement released on Thursday by a representative of the Punjab government, claims that more than 5,000 people gathered in groups around the town of Jaranwala with the intention of storming the churches. However, police stopped the attack.
The spokesperson added that a vandalism investigation had been launched and that a sizable police presence had been deployed throughout the town, including at places of worship, to maintain peace.
Source-CNN
