SC urged to take stern action against Jaranwala perpetrators
Pakistan
Petition moved in the apex court demanding action against the culprits
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - A petition was moved in the Supreme Court demanding action over the Jaranwala tragedy in which 20 churches and dozens of homes belonging to the Christian community were ransacked.
The single-page application was moved by the Voice of Christians International (VCI) under Order 33 Rule 6 of the Supreme Court Rules 1980.
VCI Director for Human Rights Samuel Makson urged the top court to take action against the culprits involved in the unfortunate incident.
“The churches, Holy Bibles and residences of Christian community were burnt on Aug 16 in the gruesome incident,” said the applicant.
He added that a case related to the implementation of a 2014 judgement regarding minorities’ rights was also pending with the apex court.
The Supreme Court gave a ruling in 2014 that the law enforcement agencies would register criminal cases for desecrating the places of worships of minorities or violation of any of their rights guaranteed under the law.
The federal government was also asked to ensure that the hate speech was discouraged on social media, according to the SC verdict. It was also directed in the 32-page judgement that a national council for minority rights must be formed.
The verdict had come on suo motu notice taken in September 2013 over Peshawar church bomb attack which claimed 81 lives.
Meanwhile, the religious scholars hailing from all the sects have said the Jaranwala incident was against the teachings of Islam.
“A high-level inquiry commission should be constituted to probe the tragedy and government must take stern action against the culprits,” Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abul Khabir Azad said told a press conference in Lahore.
He said that it's against the teachings of Islam to burn anyone’s house or place of worship.
He added that it was the responsibility of the Islamic state to provide protection to the minorities. "The enemy forces are hatching conspiracies to spread chaos here and we all must be united to foil their nefarious designs," he added.
“The respect of Torah, Zabur and Bible is part of our faith and Pakistan belongs to everyone,” Maulana Azad said.
He urged the state to take action against the person involved in blasphemy and added that individuals cannot be allowed to try any suspects by holding open courts on roads.
Renowned religious scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani also called the 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 said.
Mufti Usmani stated that the incident was “totally against the basic and classic Islamic teachings” and “is tantamount to defacing Islam and Muslims”.
