By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) – Over a year after thousands of furious Muslims attacked a Christian area in the city of Jaranwala in Pakistan’s Punjab province, many survivors living there still await promised “relief and justice,” well-informed Christian aid workers told Worthy News.
On August 16, 2023, crowds were angered by false allegations of blasphemy committed by two Christian brothers who were later acquitted, recalled advocacy group Voice Of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC).
Yet, “at least 26 church buildings were destroyed, along with hundreds of Christian homes,” VOMC told Worthy News.
Many from the Christian community fled, spending the night in open fields, fearful of returning to the city. While nine police officers were injured, no civilian lives were lost, according to government sources familiar with the situation.
However, the wounds have not yet healed completely. Additionally, “Christians suffering from the aftermath of the incident are still seeking justice. While more than 5,000 people were involved in the violence, less than 400 were arrested for their part in the riots,” VOMC told Worthy News.
“Of the assailants who were arrested, over 225 have been released on bail, including the individual who incited the vast mob attack through the use of a mosque loudspeaker,” added the group, which has closely followed the situation.
VOMC stressed that the “Discrimination against followers of Jesus within Pakistan’s legal system was further demonstrated by the recent conviction of Ehsaan Masih, a Christian man who has been sentenced with blasphemy – a crime punishable by death. [He was] merely [targeted] for protesting the violent riots via social media.”
GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE
Yet “For those who’ve lost so much during the attacks, any provision of assistance from the government has come slowly – if at all. While governing officials stated that relief would be provided to those whose homes were destroyed, the distribution efforts have been plagued with difficulties,” VOMC explained.
In several homes, multiple families lived under the same roof, “so payment went only to the more prominent families, leaving some without assistance,” according to aid workers.
International rights group Amnesty International estimates that 40 percent of the victims are still awaiting desperately needed government compensation.
In addition, “many of the affected believers continue to suffer from the psychological and social repercussions of the trauma. Children still tremble with fear and have lost their confidence when it comes to interacting with others in the community,” VOMC noticed.
“Relations between local Christians and Muslims have also become increasingly tense. Some Muslims are refusing to conduct any business with Christians, and a number of believers have lost their jobs.”
The group said, “In conjunction with our ministry partners, VOMC was able to provide for some of the daily needs of Christians in Jaranwala through the mission’s Relief & Development Fund.”
However, it said it urged sponsors to help by donating more and praying for the Christians in Jaranwala. They are among many believers facing persecution in Pakistan, a strict Islamic nation, rights groups say.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
U.S. medical missionary Dr. Peter Stafford and his family have been released from hospital isolation in Germany more than two weeks after Stafford contracted the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola while serving as a surgeon in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
U.S. President Donald Trump called Monday for Israel and Iran to immediately stop firing on one another, pressing both sides toward a ceasefire after an overnight exchange of Iranian missile barrages and Israeli airstrikes raised fears of a renewed regional war.
Israel says it is prepared for sustained combat after Iran and the Houthis fired missiles toward Israeli territory, prompting new Israeli strikes on Iranian defense systems and ballistic missile-related facilities.
President Donald Trump is warning that “great trouble and consternation will follow” if Democrats prevail in what he described as a “crooked” and “rigged” California election, after late-counted ballots shifted the closely watched Los Angeles mayoral primary and pushed conservative candidate Spencer Pratt into third place.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged residents in vulnerable coastal areas to move to higher ground after a powerful earthquake struck the southern Philippines, killing several people and triggering tsunami warnings in parts of Southeast Asia.
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief (Worthy News) – Israel says the IDF now controls roughly one-fifth of Lebanese territory, marking a major expansion of its campaign against Hezbollah as Jerusalem works to push the Iranian-backed terrorist group away from Israel’s northern border. The disclosure came during Sunday’s weekly Cabinet meeting, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is “fighting terror on all fronts” and ministers received security briefings from senior IDF officials on Lebanon, Iran, Syria, and Judea and Samaria. According to ministers who attended the briefing, Israel’s military leadership presented a far different picture from … Read more
Antisemitic hate crimes in London surged sharply in May, rising 72 percent from the previous month, according to new Metropolitan Police figures.