Anti-Christian Pogrom in Faisalabad

 

Last week in the Pakistani city of Faisalabad, rumors spread that two Christian men desecrated the Qur'an.  Soon afterward, mobs of Muslims descended on the Jaranwala district of the city and demanded the "hanging of the accused."  The protests quickly turned into a violent pogrom.  Mobs attacked numerous Christian churches, destroyed hundreds of Christian homes, broke crosses, burned Bibles, and terrorized Christians throughout the city.  

Christians regardless of denomination were set upon by the mobs.  Reports by the media stated that the Salvation Army Church, one of the oldest churches in the area, was set ablaze.  Numerous other churches such as the United Presbyterian Church and the Shehrunwala church were also ransacked.  Sources within the nation of Pakistan have stated that the media reports are not doing the attacks justice.  That in truth 21 churches in the region have been either ransacked or burned, a Christian cemetery has been desecrated, and at least 100 Christian homes have been looted & destroyed by mobs (Link to Video).  In many of the church attacks, Muslim mobs deliberately singled out the cross for destruction as videos of mobs pushing crosses off the roofs of churches flooded social media (Link to Video).  

In the nation of Pakistan, blasphemy laws have existed for decades, laws that enact harsh retribution for any who are accused of desecrating a Qur'an, insulting Muhammad, or blaspheming Islam in anyway whatsoever.  Those who have been accused of this have spent months, even years, in prison, even if it turned out that they hadn't broken this unjust law.  In some cases, accused blasphemers spend years on death row, the most notable case is that of Asia Bibi, who spent 8 years on death row before the Pakistani Supreme Court acquitted her of the charges, but this was done only after years International Pressure.  However, for many in Pakistan, these despicable laws are not enough.  In many instances, mobs take matters into their own hands.  For example, in Nov. 2014 an Islamic mob attacked a Christian couple in a brick kiln near Islamabad after hearing rumors that they had desecrated a Qur'an.  The mob severely beat the couple before throwing them into the kiln and burned them alive.  In 2021, a factory manager from Sri Lanka was beaten to death by a mob in the city of Siaklot after taking down religious posters at the factory he worked at.  Sadly, many Pakistani clerics not only fail to stop these mobs, but they actually encourage them.  

After the accusation was levied against the two Christians, Islamic clerics throughout Pakistan began calling for violent retaliation.  Over the years, clerics have publicly gone on television networks and called for violent reprisals against any who insult the Islamic faith, some even calling for cities to be burned.  These clerics know full well that mob violence is already a known reality in this nation, but instead of trying to stop it, they're actively encouraging it.  However, some Pakistani Muslims are now beginning to wake up and realize that this is going way too far.  Pakistani Actress Maria Khan has called these attacks a "shameful act."  Other local Muslims stepped forward and helped their Christian neighbors escape the mobs and shelter them from attack. Pakistani authorities have also decided to take action, arresting 130 suspected rioters, though it is unknown at this time if any of those who have been arrested will receive any sort of punishment for their crimes.  

Sadly, things don't show any sign of improving in Pakistan.  Blasphemy Laws are still in place and show no sign if going away.  If anything, they're gaining strength.  Mob violence likewise shows no signs of ending.  Christians throughout the country live in constant fear of attack, even if they had nothing to do with the blasphemy accusation.  In the eyes of the mob, simply being Christian makes them "guilty by association."  Many feel that they only real chance for change is for the Christians of the free world to begin uniting and working together to help their brethren who are continuing to endure this ongoing persecution.  

Sources:

Hussain, Shaiq & Rick Noack.  "Pakistan Arrests 130 People After Churches Attacked on Blasphemy Rumor."  Washington Post.  Aug. 17, 2023.  Accessed from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/17/pakistan-blasphemy-church-attacks-arrests/.  

"Mosques Probed Over Protest Call in Blasphemy Riots."  France24.  Aug. 19, 2023.  Accessed from https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230819-mosques-probed-over-protest-call-in-pakistan-blasphemy-riots.

"Over 100 Held for Vandalizing Churches."  The Express Tribune.  Aug. 16, 2023.  Accessed from https://tribune.com.pk/story/2430993/over-100-held-for-vandalising-churches.

"'Shame on Us:' Pakistani Actress Mahira Khan Reacts to Church Attacks in Faisalabad."  India Today.  Aug. 17, 2023.  Accessed from https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pakistan-church-attacks-mahira-khan-reaction-shame-on-us-2422770-2023-08-17.

Smith, Alexander.  "Pakistani Christians Burned Alive were Attacked by 1200 People."  NBC News.  Nov. 07, 2014.  Accessed from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/pakistani-christians-burned-alive-were-attacked-1-200-people-kin-n243386.

Tanveer, Asim & Munir Ahmed.  "Muslim Mobs Attack Churches in Eastern Pakistan After Accusing Christians of Desecrating the Qur'an."  Associated Press.  Aug. 17, 2023.  Accessed from https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-muslim-attack-churches-blasphemy-christian-faisalabad-bc671037bdd389af6b67e0292cc18582.