MULTAN, Pakistan | August 21, 2023 | On Monday, Pakistani officials distributed significant monetary aid to approximately 100 Christian families affected by recent disturbances due to claims of the Quran’s desecration.

The interim government, led by Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, announced that each affected family would receive 2 million rupees ($6,800). Additionally, ongoing police operations have resulted in the arrest of numerous individuals involved in the unrest in Jaranwala, with the total detainees now reaching 160.

Last Wednesday, an uproar ensued following accusations that a Christian individual, alongside a companion, had disrespected the Quran. Those Christians who escaped the upheaval returned to devastated homes. Many remain displaced, cautious of unstable structures that endured damage.

This incident, marked as one of Pakistan’s most damaging, has been met with widespread national disapproval. Kakar, after visiting the affected region and overseeing the aid distribution, assured in a broadcasted address that the government is committed to safeguarding all minorities, which encompasses Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, and Ahmadis.

Kakar declared that all involved in the rioting will face consequences, labeling the attackers as “adversaries of mankind.”

Earlier, Mohsin Naqvi, the senior authority in Punjab province where Jaranwala is situated, communicated the compensation details on X, previously referred to as Twitter. Naqvi, after touring the city on Sunday, convened with local representatives at an affected church.

Priest Khalid Mukhtar expressed the distress of the local Christian community, emphasizing their concerns for their children who have been deeply affected. He noted that all 26 churches in the city suffered attacks, with many being set aflame or damaged.

It was alleged by the rioters that a Christian resident and his associate desecrated pages of the Quran and wrote derogatory comments on others. The police have since detained the duo.

Authorities indicate that hard-line Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan party members may have stirred the unrest, citing a previous incident where the party rallied violently in Pakistan over disrespect towards the Quran in foreign nations.

Naqvi promised that the compensations would be dispensed within two days and announced restoration efforts for the churches.

Contrarily, Mukhtar refuted Naqvi’s assertions regarding the church repairs, pointing out that a mere paint job was done on two churches instead of structural repair.

Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws dictate that any disrespect towards Islam can lead to a death sentence. Although no executions for blasphemy have been conducted, mere allegations can provoke public outbursts and vigilantism.