Jaranwala Incident: People’s Inquiry Finds Flaws In Police Investigation

News Desk

Lahore: The recent police version of the investigation does not support the assertion made by the Punjab Inspector General of Police’s (IGP) version regarding the involvement of foreign elements in the Jaranwala violence, for which he has yet to present any proof, concluded experts.

A People’s Inquiry into ‘Countering Religion-based Violence’ held by a panel of experts stated that the version of the police regarding the investigation has been shifting from one assumption to the other, from foreign conspiracy to honour crime to personal interests in the Jaranwala incident

The eyewitnesses as well as the victims confirmed in their testimonies that the mob violence in Jaranwala was a pre-planned activity for political motives. The inquiry observed that the police were reluctant to apprehend the actual perpetrators of incitement through planted blasphemy charges.

Hence, a narrative emboldens the extremist outfits, politicising blasphemy accusations on the one hand and victimising the members of the Christian community in Sargodha and Jaranwala on the other, panellists added.

The inquiry further observed that the police are making a conscious attempt to cover up the mob violence and have understated the looting of belongings, destruction, and arson of churches and houses in the Jaranwala incident.

Moreover, they are carrying out illegal arbitrary detentions of men, women and children in the name of investigation which seems to be an attempt to pressurise the Christian community not to pursue cases and seek justice, further said the People’s Inquiry.

Victims and witnesses who had experienced mob violence on August 16 in Jaranwala stated that it the police illegally detained those Christians for several days in the name of an investigation who were not nominated in the First Information Report (FIR), including men, women and children. Although 36 detainees were released, many are still in police custody, according to reports.

Center for Social Justice (CSJ) Executive Director Peter Jacob demanded a fair and impartial investigation in all cases involving blasphemy accusations.

Bishop Azad Marshal stated that it is proven time and again that accusations are fabricated against minorities and that some quarters are manipulating legal procedures while religious minorities are forced to become second-class citizens of Pakistan.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Chairperson Hina Jillani further said that civil society condemns lawlessness, particularly the arbitrary detentions of children and women in Jaranwala.

Hina encouraged civil society and national human rights institutions to monitor the situation to ensure a fair and transparent investigation and trial.

The experts also observed that the incidents involving blasphemy accusations in different parts of the Punjab have created a social apartheid for minorities. Christian students are reluctant to continue their education in schools due to the discrimination and intolerance they had to face after the Jaranwala incident. The greengrocers and shopkeepers refuse to sell eatables to Christians and employers deny employment to Christian workers.

A fact sheet, ‘Provided We Learn’, was issued that documented the incidence of religion-based violence targeting faith minorities on the pretext of blasphemy accusations in Punjab. The participants demanded the introduction of safeguards against the misuse of blasphemy laws.

They also urged that religious apartheid must end and that the leadership in the country make serious efforts to live up to their claims about the protection of minorities.