![\"Belongings](\"https:\/\/morningstarnews.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Belongings-of-Christians-burned-in-Muslim-rioting-in-Jaranwala-Pakistan-on-Aug.-16-2023.-Morning-Star-News.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nBelongings of Christians burned in Muslim rioting in Jaranwala, Pakistan on Aug. 16, 2023. (Morning Star News)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
LAHORE<\/strong>, Pakistan<\/strong>\u00a0(Christian Daily International<\/a>\u2013<\/em>Morning Star News<\/a>) \u2013 Citing lax government response to Islamic extremist attacks on a Christian community last August, an advocacy group on Wednesday (Feb. 7) filed another plea for justice with the Supreme Court of Pakistan.<\/p>\n Implementation of Minority Rights Forum (IMRF) Chairman Samuel Makson filed the application with a request for a hearing as early as possible on redress for the attack on Christians\u2019 homes and shops on Aug. 16 in Jaranwala, Faisalabad District, Punjab Province.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Makson had filed a similar plea in the Supreme Court on Dec. 8, seeking an early hearing of the suo motu<\/em> notice taken by the Supreme Court after Muslim mobs in Jaranwala ransacked and burned<\/a> at least 20 church buildings and more than 100 homes of Christians over allegations of desecration of the Quran and blasphemous writings.<\/p>\n Makson\u2019s latest petition states that soon after the incident, both the caretaker chief minister of Punjab and caretaker prime minister had separately visited Jaranwala and pledged compensation of 2 million rupees (USD7,145) to each victim family. The two officials also promised restoration of the damaged church buildings within three days, it added.<\/p>\n The latest petition notes that the government\u2019s assessment of Christians\u2019 losses was flawed, stating that 146 houses were damaged while the government report cited only 80 affected homes.<\/p>\n \u201cOf these 80 households, the government has compensated 76 families, while the remaining four haven\u2019t received the promised amount,\u201d the petition states.<\/p>\n It adds that despite repeated efforts by Christian groups to rectify the assessment, officials remain indifferent.<\/p>\n \u201cAnother matter of grave concern was the abrupt halt of reconstruction activities at various churches, with a noticeable lack of responsiveness from the government authorities,\u201d the petition states. \u201cThis cessation has left affected churches incomplete and vulnerable, demanding immediate attention and action.\u201d<\/p>\n Makson\u2019s petition also questions the bail granted to a most of the suspects.<\/p>\n \u201cThe arrest of 283 individuals in connection with the incident raises concerns about the investigative process, but shockingly about 223 accused have been granted bail, and 14 discharged, underscoring potential flaws in the police investigation and highlighting the urgency for a thorough review,\u201d it states.<\/p>\n The petition points out that despite proper identification by Christian complainants, police failed to recover the items used for destruction of church buildings from the arrested suspects.<\/p>\n \u201cAdditionally, the existence of videos collected from different sources has not resulted in action against the perpetrators, further underscoring the need for a robust and just response,\u201d it states.<\/p>\n The petition notes that 25 Christians filed 25 First Information Reports (FIRs) regarding theft of their belongings. The police\u2019s lackluster response and absence of investigations or a Joint Investigation Team (JIT), however, have left victims in despair, it adds.<\/p>\n The application mentioned the Sept. 8 hearing of the case in which the Supreme Court planned to re-list the case after two weeks. Thus far, however, no date for hearing of the case has been set.<\/p>\n \u201cHence, keeping in view the agony of the affectees and the sensitivity of the matter, the present case needs to be fixed at an early date,\u201d the petitioner stresses.<\/p>\n At the last hearing, the Supreme Court ordered the Advocate General Punjab to file a report about absence of a security plan, which the provincial government was to develop to ensure protection of the Christian community as well as safeguard churches and residences. The special plan had envisaged establishing a quick response unit to prevent any violent attack on the Christian community.<\/p>\n Little Hope for Justice<\/strong><\/p>\n Most of the suspects in the Jaranwala attacks have been released on bail or discharged due to defective investigation by police, \u201cunsubstantiated\u201d naming of them by some Christian complainants and lax attitudes of senior Christian leaders, sources said<\/a>.<\/p>\n Police harassment of complainants and witnesses, officers deliberately arresting innocent bystanders instead of known assailants, and Christian leaders\u2019 failure to ensure proper investigation and legal cases were responsible for most suspects walking free on bail, according to Shakeel Bhatti, a former councillor in Jaranwala.<\/p>\n \u201cThe police deliberately picked up several people whose presence on the scene could not be corroborated with evidence,\u201d he recently told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. \u201cWe identified several suspects who were actively involved in the attacks, and there was video evidence against them too, but they haven\u2019t been arrested yet despite repeated requests.\u201d<\/p>\n Bhatti added that most suspects in five cases registered by the government had been granted bail due to ineffective police investigation. Those bails also benefitted the suspects in the 17 privately filed cases as the same Joint Investigative Teams probed all the FIRs, he added.<\/p>\n Though 600-800 unidentified suspects were implicated in 22 terrorism cases \u2013 five registered by the state and 17 by local Christians \u2013 church sources said only 283 suspects were arrested. The government registered five FIRs under sections against terrorism, blasphemy, attempted murder, arson, hate speech and others on the day of the attacks, while 17 Christians filed private FIRs on similar charges on Aug. 21.<\/p>\n Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors\u2019 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year.<\/p>\n If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/morningstarnews.org\/resources\/aid-agencies\/<\/em><\/a>\u00a0for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/morningstarnews.org\/donate\/<\/em><\/a>?<\/em><\/p>\n ###<\/p>\n \u00a9 2024 Morning Star News. Articles\/photos may be reprinted with credit to Morning Star News.\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/morningstarnews.org<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Tweet:\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/twitter.com\/morningstarnewz\/<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Facebook:\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MorningStarNews<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Morning Star News is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that relies solely on contributions to offer original news reports of persecuted Christians. By providing reliable news on the suffering church, Morning Star News\u2019 mission is to empower those in the free world to help and to encourage persecuted Christians that they are not forgotten or alone. For free subscription, contact\u00a0<\/em>editor@morningstarnews.org<\/em><\/a>;\u00a0to make tax-deductible donations, visit\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/morningstarnews.org\/donate\/<\/em><\/a>? or send check to Morning Star News, 728 A Kodiak St., Eielson AFB, AK 99702, USA.<\/em><\/p>\n The post Christians Seek Justice following Attacks in Jaranwala, Pakistan<\/a> appeared first on Morningstar News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n