By Daud Zafar
It has been more than a year since the horrifying day when mobs stormed into the Christian neighborhood of Jaranwala. In a matter of hours, churches were reduced to ashes, Bibles were torn and desecrated, crosses were smashed, and Christian homes were set ablaze. Women were harassed, daughters’ honor trampled, and the sacred dupatta—a symbol of dignity—was dragged through the dirt.
And yet, justice remains missing.
More than 100 churches and over 80 Christian homes were attacked, and hundreds of families were forced to flee for their lives. It was one of the most targeted, systematic, and brutal attacks on Christians in Pakistan’s recent history.
But where is the accountability?
Where are the arrests? Where are the convictions?
Why have the suspects been quietly released?
Why has the state chosen silence over justice?
Is this merely institutional failure? Or is it a deliberate attempt to silence a truth too uncomfortable for the nation to face?
In the aftermath of the attacks, the Pakistani government made strong statements. Condemnations poured in. High-profile visits were made to the smoldering ruins. Promises of protection and justice were repeated like old clichés. But as the cameras turned away and the headlines faded, so did the commitment to truth.
Today, not a single meaningful conviction has been made.
The victims continue to live in fear.
And the perpetrators? Free.
This isn’t just a betrayal of the Christian community—it’s a betrayal of the Constitution of Pakistan, which promises equality, protection, and justice for all citizens, regardless of religion.
It is also a betrayal of the moral conscience of a nation.
We must ask difficult questions:
Why are mob attacks on religious minorities treated as “emotional outbursts” instead of crimes of hate and terror?
Why do our institutions bend to pressure instead of upholding the rule of law?
Why do courts offer bail to those who burned churches, but silence the cries of those who prayed within them?
The world must not look away.
Jaranwala is not just a local tragedy—it is a global human rights concern.
When houses of worship are attacked with impunity and women’s dignity is violated without consequence, it is no longer just a Christian issue—it is a human issue.
We urge the international community, global human rights organizations, and voices of justice everywhere to stand with Pakistan’s persecuted Christians.
Demand transparency.
Demand accountability.
Demand dignity.
Because justice delayed is not only justice denied—
It is justice destroyed.
