Up to 15 churches have been attacked and hundreds of Christian homes destroyed in Pakistan’s extremist fury.
Christians in the Punjabi town of Jaranwala, near Faisalabad, have fled en masse as fanatics began throwing stones and rocks and setting buildings on fire.
The incident follows a blasphemy charge against a Christian cleaner accused of desecrating the Quran and insulting Islam’s prophet.
Father Abid Tanveer, vicar general of the Catholic diocese of Faisalabad, reported on Wednesday, August 16, to the international foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) on his visit to Jaranwala, where, he reports, the situation remains unsafe.
«What has happened has been terrifying, and Christians are very frightened. Please pray for our people, pray that their lives are not in danger.
«Many people have lost their belongings, everything. They don’t know what to do or where to go.».
as well as the house of a catechist and a parish house.
He also noted that Father Khalid, pastor of St. Paul’s in Jaranwala, had to lock himself in the parish house, surrounded by extremists who shouted and demanded that he leave.
They finally left, allowing the priest to leave, but, shortly after, the attackers returned and burned the baptismal, marriage and death certificates kept in the parish office.
According to local witnesses contacted by ACN, the attackers began throwing furniture into the street while demanding the death of the alleged blasphemer.
An ACN contact in Faisalabad reported that public address messages from mosques called on the local population to «go out and kill» Christians.
For his part, a Christian in Faisalabad told ACN: «It is absolutely terrifying. We don’t know what is going to happen next.»
Father Tanveer has reported that 13 churches belonging to different Christian denominations have been attacked and several of them set on fire, as well as 13 churches belonging to different Christian denominations.
Another prominent Pakistani cleric from Faisalabad has stated, «We strongly condemn this act of brutal terrorism. Those who attack innocent Christians and burn their houses have a terrorist mentality.»
At the moment, there are no reports of fatalities. Christians in Jaranwala began fleeing their homes at 5 a.m. after local Muslims warned them that an attack was coming.
An elderly priest has told ACN that the threat persists and that people remain «very scared.»
«We are very grateful for your concern and prayers. Please continue to pray for us.»
Father Tanveer has reported that additional police officers have been dispatched, but that there is no guarantee that they can control the situation because the extremists are well armed and remain bent on committing violence in response to the alleged blasphemy incident.