Islamabad [Pakistan], August 20 : A group of twelve Christian leaders continued their sit-in for a second consecutive day on Sunday in Christian Colony, Jaranwala, protesting the government's alleged failure to deliver justice to the victims of the riots that occurred on August 16, 2023, which were instigated by blasphemy allegations, as reported by Dawn.
While addressing the protesters, the head of the Minority Rights Movement and others stated that even after two years, not a single accused has been convicted by the Faisalabad anti-terrorism court. They asserted that during the riots, 27 churches and 23 homes were set ablaze by the mob, and every individual named as an accused was deemed innocent during the police investigation. They urged the Christian community and civil society across the country to organise sit-ins as a means to demand justice for the victims, as reported by Dawn.
Earlier, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) called for immediate government action following disturbing findings from a recent fact-finding mission to Derek Abad, Kot Addu, in Punjab province.
This mission was initiated by a complaint from a local pastor and uncovered systematic attempts at eviction against small Christian farmers by local land mafias, despite the legal protections afforded to this community. In a press release issued on Tuesday, HRCP indicated that numerous affected farmers, who have worked the land for many years, are being forcibly removed in what seems to be an instance of discrimination based on faith. The commission raises alarms about these evictions, which contradict several court orders and government rulings that recognise the Christian community's rightful claim to the land.
According to a press release, even with a stay order from the Lahore High Court reportedly still in effect, farmers claim that land grabbers continue to exert pressure on them to leave their properties. They also point out that the authorities have neglected to provide formal land allotment letters, leaving them vulnerable to powerful local mafias and without documentation of legal ownership.