by Nasir Iqbal in Dawn, Dec 9th, 2023
ISLAMABAD: Chairman the Implementation of Minority Rights Forum, Samuel Makson Payara, on Friday moved a fresh application before the Supreme Court seeking early fixation of Aug 16 tragic Jaranwala incident case in which 20 churches and over a dozen homes belonging to the Christian community were damaged.
A two-page application reminded that at the last hearing on Sept 8, a three-judge Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, had ordered the re-listing of the case after two weeks, but despite the lapse of three months, the case has not yet been fixed.
The petition explains that an early hearing has become necessary since it has come to the notice of the applicant that the reconstruction and rebuilding work of churches have been brought to an abrupt halt.
Despite the gravity of the situation, there appears to be a lack of attention and action from the relevant government authorities, the application feared, adding that this cessation of the renovation work has resulted in a state of stagnation, leaving the damaged churches in an incomplete and precarious condition.
Not only the renovation work of different damaged charges has been stopped, the application said, adding the concerned government departments were also not responsive.
The application stated that during the Aug 16 Jaranwala incident, a number of houses of the Christians were completely burnt, along with the churches. It added a large number of affected persons still have not received compensation, contrary to the government’s announcement.
Moreover, the police have released many of the culprits who were arrested after the incident, and recoveries were also made from them, the application regretted.
At the last hearing on Sept 8, the Supreme Court was told that churches, properties, and residence of citizen belonging to the Christian community were attacked and that Rs2 million were announced to repair the damage properties, besides some affected families have also not been compensated.
Then the court had directed to compensate the concerned families expeditiously and repair the damaged churches on priority.
Samual Pyara had also regretted that 38 members of the Christian community were arrested during the police crackdown after the incident, though cases against 36 had been discharged on the direction of the Lahore High Court.https://www.dawn.com/news/1796385/swift-trial-of-jaranwala-case-demanded
