The United States State Department has raised alarm over the targeted attacks on churches in Pakistan following reports of the desecration of the Quran in parts of Europe. A US State Department official said that resorting to violence or threats is an unacceptable form of expression and urged Pakistani authorities to investigate the allegations and uphold peaceful freedom of expression.This statement from the US State Department comes as a series of churches were vandalised in Pakistans Faisalabad district, specifically in Jaranwala. The incidents occurred in response to accusations of blasphemy, causing concern over the safety of religious institutions and individuals.Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the US State Department, conveyed these concerns during a press briefing. He said, “So we are deeply concerned that churches and homes were targeted in response to reported Quran desecration in Pakistan. We support peaceful freedom of expression and the right to freedom of religion and belief for everybody. And as we have previously said, we are always concerned of incidents of religiously motivated violence. Violence or the threat of violence is never an acceptable form of expression, and we urge Pakistani authorities to conduct a full investigation into these allegations and call for calm for all of those involved.”Minority leaders call on Pakistan to curb violence, attacks on churchesAmidst these incidents, Christian leaders have accused the local police of remaining passive during the attacks. Azad Marshall, President Bishop of the Church of Pakistan, condemned the violence and demanded justice for those affected. He stressed the importance of citizens safety and called for action against the perpetrators, highlighting the value of lives in a homeland that recently celebrated independence and freedom.Words fail me as I write this. We, Bishops, Priests and lay people are deeply pained and distressed at the Jaranwala incident in the Faisalabad District in Pakistan. A church building is being burnt as I type this message. Bibles have been desecrated and Christians have been… pic.twitter.com/xruE83NPXL— Bishop Azad Marshall (@BishopAzadM) August 16, 2023Minorities in Pakistan have been subjected to ongoing persecution and targeted attacks in recent years. Naveed Walter, President of the minority-rights NGO Human Rights Focus Pakistan, said that the minority population in Pakistan has significantly decreased from 23% to 3% since its independence in 1947.“There were multiple reasons behind this. One of the main reasons was when Pakistan was declared an Islamic country. In 1973, when the constitution was established, in Article 2 it was stated that Islam shall be a state religion. In Article 41 (2) it was declared that the President shall be a Muslim always. Article 91 restated that the Prime Minister shall be a Muslim always. There were multiple amendments in the constitution in the 1980s when the dictator Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq made the amendments in the constitution as per the Sharia law,” Walter said.Noman Masih, a 22 year old boy, who was charged with blasphemy in January for insulting the prophet has been handed down death sentence in Bahawalpur yesterday! Not a single evidence but witnesses, whose statements were contradictory. This law is a curse! This law is Satanic!— Ali Raza (@shezanmango) June 1, 2023The situation reached a critical point in June when a local court in Bahawalpur sentenced a 22-year-old Christian youth, Noman Masih, to death on charges of blasphemy after allegedly sharing caricatures of the Prophet on WhatsApp. The verdict elicited strong reactions from human rights activists and organisations, sparking concerns about the safety and rights of minorities in Pakistan.
