Who was behind Jaranwala riots? Pakistan Rights Body indicates 'larger political motive'

A violent mob of hundreds of people who set ablaze churches and attacked Christians in Pakistan's Jaranwala were part of a “larger campaign of hatred against local Christians," the country's human rights body has deduced, dispelling speculations that it was a “spontaneous or random crowd." 

On August 16, rioters put nearly two dozen churches on fire and targetted members of the Christian community and the office of the city's local assistant commissioner. According to Dawn, the riots were sparked after rumours spread that desecrated pages of the holy book of Quran were found near a residence at Cinema Chowk. 

It was alleged that two Christian siblings resided there. In a report published on Friday, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said that local police officers confirmed that a few “Muslim religious groups have raised issues that have created communal tension in the near past”.

What does the HRCP report say? 

It noted that the factors of the attack suggested that the violence spurred from a bigger cause, and was potentially politically motivated. “The mission has also learnt that several videos made during the attacks in different localities of Jaranwala are in circulation, showing members of a particular religious political party inciting the crowd to violence," the commission said. 

"Other factors reported above indicate that there could be larger political and social motives behind the attack,” it added. 

 The report also states that those who partook in the arson did not belong to the city, but had arrived there from nearby villages. “One person attested that a tractor trolley full of people as well as several persons on motorbikes had arrived from a village, transporting men who then burnt down a church and houses," the HRCP said, concluding that it backs the notion that the violence was "premeditated." As per estimates gathered by the district administration of Faisalabad, at least 22 churches sustained damages of up to Rs 29.1 million and 92 houses suffered losses worth 38.5 million in the August 16 vandalism.