Rawalpindi: Christian colony residents vacate homes overnight

RAWALPINDI: The community of Christian Colony in Rawalpindi hurriedly vacated their homes overnight, ARY News reported on Friday.

According to the details, the families, including young children, were hastily left homes, seeking refuge elsewhere.

راولپنڈی: کرسچن کالونی کے مکینوں نے راتوں رات بستی خالی کردی#ARYNews pic.twitter.com/zSUT7N3IVe

— ARY NEWS (@ARYNEWSOFFICIAL) August 25, 2023

The local police have assured the Christian community of Rawalpindi that they will receive full protection and support. As the investigation unfolds.

Earlier to this, the Jaranwala police registered terror cases against more than 600 people for “vandalising multiple churches and torching homes belonging to the Christian community.”

According to the FIR, a mob of 500-600, who was led by a group of people, “attacked the Christian community, ransacked and torched Christians’ homes and the church building”.

The FIR invoked sections 7(1)(d), 7(1)(j), 7(1)(g) and 7(1)(h) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

It also invoked sections 148, 149, 153A, 186, 295, 295A, 324, 353, 427, 436 and 452 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The FIR also included sections 5 and 6 of the Punjab Sound Systems (Regulation) Act 2015.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government also ordered the formation of a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the incident, in line with directives issued by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq.

Yesterday, the local police claimed to have arrested 17 more suspects in the Jaranwala incident after geofencing, quoting sources.

Sources within police said the arrests were made with the help of the videos of the nominated suspects in the Jaranwala and geofencing of the crime scene.

With the latest arrest, the total number of rounded-up suspects in the Jaranwala incident has jumped to 207.