Pak police arresst 60 more people in connection with mob attack on churches

Pakistani authorities have arrested 60 more people in connection with the unprecedented mob attack on 21 churches in Punjab province, taking the total number of suspects under detention to more than 200, a top police official said on Wednesday.

A mob ransacked and torched 21 churches and several houses of Christians last week over blasphemy allegations in Jaranwala town of Faisalabad district, 130 km from Punjab's provincial capital Lahore. A Christian cemetery and the office of the local assistant commissioner were also vandalised.

Police had arrested 145 suspects subsequently.

"We have arrested some 60 more suspects after which the number of total arrested crossed 200 in the Jaranwala incident. The arrests have been made through video footage," Punjab Inspector General Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar said on Wednesday.

Talking to reporters, he said the police would present all kinds of evidence before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) to get them convicted. "We will set an example through this case," he said.

Meanwhile, the caretaker Punjab government could not live up to its promise to restore all damaged churches by early this week.

"No restoration work at the damaged churches has begun as yet," Pakistan Centre for Law and Justice Napoleon Qayyum told PTI on Wednesday. He further complained that only a handful of Christians whose homes were damaged in the violence have got the cheques of compensation amount.

"A good number of Christian families are waiting to get the compensation amount which the government had promised. Besides, the government has also not made arrangements for food and lodging of the affected Christians," he said, adding that the Christian organizations are helping their fellow brethren.

The Punjab government had announced a compensation amount of Rs 2 million each to 94 Christian families to rebuild their houses.

The Christians leaders say at least 200 houses have been damaged in the violence and all should be given compensation.

Catholic leader Francis Abid Tanveer says the biggest church of Jaranwala, Catholic Church, among 20 others and 200 houses have been burnt down. Besides, the mob had also looted valuables from these houses.

A police report has hinted at the presence of radical Islamists Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) elements that spearheaded the mob.