Serious attacks on Christians in Faisalabad
A mob armed with clubs stormed the Christian residential area of Jaranwala near Faisalabad and set more than 50 houses on fire.
Yesterday we received a harrowing call from Lahore. Our co-worker Anthony Javed reported serious attacks by Muslim extremists about two and a half hours from Lahore. The unrest spread to other areas; in total 127 houses were made uninhabitable, many of them badly damaged by fire.
This followed Quran burnings in Sweden in mid-July, which are now being used in already unstable countries such as Pakistan to stir up feeling against the Christian minority (about 3% of the population) and to blame Christians who had nothing to do with this unjust Quran burning. Below are the reports from our co-workers Sajal and Anthony Javed:
Letter 1
Dear friends, brothers and sisters! We hope you are all well. By the grace of God, the Anthony's Foundation team is safe.
With heavy hearts we report on the situation in Jaranwala, Faisalabad. About 50 houses and the Catholic church of Esa Nagri were burned down and destroyed, and in the surrounding area a total of 127 houses and three large churches. By the grace of God nobody was killed, but injured people are in hospital – hit by bullets and clubs or burned.
When we visited yesterday, everything was in flames. Today we were able to go into the church. People were weeping: not only are their houses destroyed, but their hearts and souls too – only because of religious discrimination. They have nothing left. Electricity, gas and water have been cut off. We need your prayers and your help with rebuilding and with the bare essentials: food, water, crockery and kitchen utensils.
Sajal and Anthony Javed, Faisalabad, 20 August 2023
Letter 2
Dear brothers and sisters, the incident in Jaranwala has deeply shaken me! About 26 churches and more than 200 houses of our Christian brothers and sisters were burned down. The mob looted valuables from the houses.
I was there and spent time with the people. It was so hard to see them weeping and to see them spend the night in the open fields.
I ask all our friends to help our community. We want to give people beds, because they have nothing left. We need money for around 400 beds. I ask all our friends in Germany, Austria and Switzerland who are blessed by God to give what they can. God bless you.
With a heavy heart – Sajal and Anthony Javed