People in Karachi held a candlelight vigil at the Teen Talwar in Karachi to show support for the victims of Jaranwala in the town of Punjab’s Faisalabad district. The participants carried placards and lit candles to condole the victims who were attacked by the violent mobs on August 16.
The candlelight vigil was organised by the Aurat March and Minority Rights March where dozens of citizens took part.The traffic flow around the area was disrupted as vehicles were stuck around Teen Talwar. Commuters faced difficulties in reaching their destinations as roads leading to Teen Talwar were almost choked.
The remembrance of the victims came after violent mobs vandalised multiple churches and attacked homes belonging to the Christian community after the Holy Quran was allegedly desecrated in Jaranwala on August 16.
Reports suggested that at least two or three different places of worship were attacked and vandalised by the mob following rumours of blasphemy of Islam.Videos on social media showed men tossing out the church’s contents and hammering down the cross on the top of the building after climbing to the roof.
The attacks also garnered the attention of the political leaders of the country who condemned the violent acts against the Christian community.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar condemned the incident, saying he was ‘gutted’ by the visuals’ received from Jaranwala. Other political leaders including former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani also condemned the attacks.
