Pakistan to compensate Christians who lost their homes in riots over alleged desecration of the Quran

Pakistani authorities are pledging 2 million Pakistani rupees ($6,800) in compensation for each of the nearly 100 poor Christians who lost their homes when a Muslim mob angry over the alleged desecration of a Quran stormed their neighborhoods, burning at least 19 churches and damaged houses. officials said Monday.

Police said they arrested dozens more rioters in ongoing raids, bringing the total number arrested to 160.

Last week’s attack was one of the most destructive in the country’s history. The violence sparked nationwide condemnation, with interim Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar ordering the arrest of all those associated with the riots.

Mr. Kakar in a statement on Monday said he was traveling to the area to meet with the victims of the attacks.

Mohsin Naqvi, the top official for Punjab province, made the compensation announcement on X, formerly known as Twitter, a day after visiting Jaranwala in Punjab, where hundreds of Muslims raged last Wednesday over allegations that a man Christian and his friend had desecrated the holy book of Islam.

Mr. Naqvi held a cabinet meeting at a burnt down church in Jaranwala to get approval for victim compensation in the presence of priests and local residents.

Hundreds of terrified Christians who fled their homes have returned only to see destruction on all sides. They have been living out of their burned-out houses, fearing the structures could collapse.

“They are worried about their safety, they are worried about their children, who witnessed the tragedy and are traumatized,” said Christian priest Khalid Mukhtar. He said that according to his information, all 26 churches in Jaranwala were attacked, burned or damaged.

Rioters said a local Christian and his friend tore pages from a Quran, threw them on the ground and wrote insulting comments on other pages. The police have arrested the two men.

Local police chief Mansoor Sadiq said 160 rioters have been arrested and raids are continuing to arrest 450 more suspects.

Police say local leaders of the hardline Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) party also incited people to violence during which a Christian cemetery was desecrated. TLP has a history of organizing violent rallies in Pakistan against the desecration of the Qur’an in Sweden, Denmark and other parts of the world.

On Monday, Mr. Naqvi, the acting Chief Minister of Punjab, said that all Christians who suffered financial loss from the attacks will receive Rs 2 crore in the next 48 hours. He said that the authorities have started repairing the churches and that all damaged places of worship will be restored to their original condition.

But Mukhtar told The Associated Press that Naqvi and other officials only visited a damaged church on Sunday and did not go to the homes of anyone who suffered losses. He disputed Mr. Naqvi’s claim about the repair of churches, saying that the walls of two churches were only painted and needed to be rebuilt.

Under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, anyone convicted of insulting Islam can be sentenced to death. While the authorities have yet to apply the death penalty for blasphemy, the mere accusations can often incite mobs to violence.