PAKISTAN (ACN News): Nearly 2500 people in Pakistan marking the first anniversary of some of the country’s worst anti-Christian violence listened as a senior police official admitted the security forces had failed in their duty to protect their loved ones and homes.
And, addressing the crowds in the Punjabi city of Gojra, some of the most prominent local Muslims deplored the violence which left eight people dead, describing the culprits as unworthy to be called Muslims and denouncing their actions as against the precepts of the Qur’an.
Amid tight security involving road blocks and a high police presence, Bishop Joseph Coutts of Faisalabad presided at the memorial Mass on August 1 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Gojra.
The most poignant moment came when the bishop lit candles for each of those who died in the violence including Musa Almas, aged seven, his 10-year-old sister Umia and five other members of their family whose pictures were displayed nearby.
The family died on August 1 last year when an accusation under the country’s so-called blasphemy laws sparked violence climaxing in an Islamist armed attack on the Christian quarter of Gojra.
With the situation in Gojra still tense a year later, Bishop Coutts told ACN of his “huge relief” that the memorial events had passed off peacefully – in spite of renewed violence following the recent killing of two Christians outside a Faisalabad court house, an incident again sparked by a blasphemy law allegation.
Speaking to ACN from Faisalabad, the bishop described how, after the memorial Mass, Toba Tek Singh district co-ordinating officer (DCO) Amaan Ullah declared that the police response to the crisis had been inadequate.
Bishop Coutts said: “The DCO admitted that what had happened in Gojra was a failure on the part of the police.
“The police had received sufficient reports to indicate that there was something happening in Gojra that could lead to serious violence.”
The comments come amid claims that the police should have imposed a “Section 144” order in Gojra, set out under Pakistan’s Penal Code, which forbids gatherings of people within a defined area, thereby aiming to eliminate the risk of mob violence.
A judicial inquiry has already found fault with the police handling of the Gojra incident but this was the first public admission of its kind.
The bishop went on to say that several senior Muslims, including a “Pir” – “Holy Man” – appeared before the crowds in Gojra to describe the attacks as “un-Islamic”.
“The Pir said Islam does not teach that people should be attacked. He was quite clear about that. People who carry out attacks of this kind are not to be considered Muslims, he said, and the same applies to those who attack places of worship,” Bishop Coutts said.
“The people reacted to this very quietly. Normally after speeches it is the custom here to give some applause but it was different this time.
“In fact, I praised the people for their calm response. Indeed everything went wonderfully well, beyond my expectations – a huge relief.”
Meanwhile, local MP Aamir Joel, a Catholic, promised to put pressure on the release of more government funds pledged as compensation and intended for use to rebuild sewerage services and other vital infrastructure to homes devastated by the Gojra violence.
Government compensation aid has already been used to rebuild homes destroyed in the violence.
