US expresses concerns over Jaranwala incidents

WASHINGTON: The United States (US) has voiced deep concerns over the reported attacks on churches and homes in response to alleged Quran desecration incidents in Jaranwala – Faisalabad.

The United States’ emphasis on the need for thorough investigations, peaceful resolution, and respect for religious freedom stands as a testament to its commitment to promoting global harmony and understanding.

Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the Department of State Vedant Patel emphasized the importance of peace, freedom of expression, and the right to freedom of religion for all individuals.

“We are deeply concerned that churches and homes were targeted in response to reported Quran desecration in Pakistan,” Patel stated during the press conference.

“We support peaceful freedom of expression and the right to freedom of religion and belief for everybody. And as we have previously said, we are always concerned about incidents of religiously-motivated violence. Violence or the threat of violence is never an acceptable form of expression, and we urge Pakistani authorities to conduct a full investigation into these allegations and call for calm for all those involved.”

The spokesperson further addressed questions from reporters during the conference. When asked about trade agreements between Iran and Pakistan, Patel referred the reporters to the Pakistani authorities for more information.

Regarding the allegations of corruption at the VOA news and the involvement of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, Patel clarified the State Department’s position. “This is not a situation in which the State Department is part of. USAGM is an independent agency. It’s not really somewhere we have an equity, so I will just refer to them to speak to this situation.”