ISLAMABAD: As Voice of Christians International (VCI) on Friday urged the Supreme Court to take action against the tragic Jaranwala incident in which 20 churches and dozens of homes were damaged, prominent Islamic scholars also made a similar request to the government.

In a single-page application moved under Order 33 Rule 6 of the Supreme Court Rules 1980, VCI Director for Human Rights Samuel Makson asked the apex court to take action to meet the ends of justice.

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The applicant said he wanted to bring on record the Aug 16 brutal incident which resulted in the burning of a number of churches, Holy Bibles and the houses of the residents of the Christian community in the area.

He recalled that the top court was already seized with a case relating to the implementation of a 2014 judgement on minorities’ rights for promoting a culture of religious and social tolerance.

Ulema say mob rampage ‘against Islamic teachings’; Taqi Usmani says no one allowed to take law in their own hands

Against teachings of Islam

Mr Makson’s move to approach the apex court coincided with clerics declaring the Jaranwala rampage against the teachings of Islam. They called on the government to take strict action against the perpetrators of the attacks.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abul Khabir Azad said a high-level commission should be constituted to probe the tragedy.

Maulana Azad said that neither Islam nor Shariah allowed the burning of anyone’s house or place of worship. He said that burning a settlement after cases had been registered against those allegedly involved in the desecration of the Holy Quran is intolerable.

The Ruet-i-Hilal Committee chairman said it was the responsibility of the Islamic state to ensure the protection of minorities, as the Constitution also says that the protection of minorities should be ensured.

He said they strongly condemned the Jaranwala tragedy as Pakistan is facing many challenges at the moment and “the enemy is plotting to make us fight against each other”.

He called upon the state to take action against the person involved in blasphemy, adding that individuals cannot be allowed to try any suspects by holding courts on roads.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), prominent religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani called the Jaranwala incident “shameful” and “highly condemnable”.

“If someone has committed an unlawful act, no one is authorised to take law in his hand and burn the church or assault any peaceful Christian citizen,” he stressed.

Mufti Taqi further stated that the incident was “totally against the basic and classic Islamic teachings” and “is tantamount to defacing Islam and Muslims”. He called on the government to take action against it.

Pakistan, Maulana Azad said, belongs to everyone. “Whether it is the Holy Quran, Torah or Zabur … their respect and honour is a part of our faith.”

The SC verdict

In 2014, the SC had decreed the law enforcement agencies to promptly register criminal cases for desecrating the places of worships of minorities or violation of any of their rights guaranteed under the law.

The verdict had also asked the federal government to ensure that hate speeches on social media are discouraged and delinquents are brought to justice.

The verdict had come on suo motu proceedings initiated upon the Sept 22, 2013, Peshawar church bomb attack which claimed 81 lives.

The 32-page judgement had also asked for the constitution of a national council for minority rights.

Amjad Mahmood in Lahore also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2023