Pakistan arrests 129 after mob attacks on churches and Christian homes

Police officials and residents stand amid debris outside the torched St John Church in Jaranwala. Pic/AP

Police in eastern Pakistan arrested 129 Muslims overnight after a Muslim mob angered over an alleged desecration of the Quran attacked churches and homes of minority Christians, prompting authorities to summon soldiers to restore order.

The Christians living in the city of Jaranwala in the Faisalabad district quickly moved to safer places as the mob rampaged Wednesday, and there were no casualties from what was one of the country's most destructive attacks against Christians. They slowly returned home to see the destruction Thursday. At least one church was burned, four were damaged and two dozen homes were torched or badly damaged.

Local Christians consoled each other outside their damaged homes, wept and cried, and those who lost their homes had no idea where to go or what to do now. Local priest Khalid Mukhtar told AP earlier he believed most of Jaranwala's 17 churches had been attacked and his own home was damaged.

Meanwhile, delegations of Muslim clerics arrived in Jaranwala to help calm the situation, as troops and police patrolled the area. Local authorities have shut schools and offices and banned rallies for a week to prevent more violence.

The rampage started after some local Muslims claimed they had seen a local Christian, Raja Amir, and his friend tearing out pages from a Quran, throwing them on the ground and writing insulting remarks on other pages. The police say they are trying to arrest Amir, who fled into hiding, to determine whether he desecrated Islam's holy book.

Islamabad cops form special unit to protect minorities from mob attacks

Amid increasing attacks on religious minorities in Pakistan, the Islamabad Police on Thursday constituted a 70-member special unit for the "protection of minority places of worship and communities" in the national capital. "Seventy jawans (policemen) have been posted in the 'Minority Protection Unit'," the Islamabad Police said in a post Twitter.

It said all district police officers will be responsible for the protection of minority places of worship and communities in their areas. The unit, established as per the recommendations of the National Minorities Commission, will perform its duties under the supervision of SSP operations.

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No of churches attacked in Jaranwala

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