[10] This incited a riot where hundreds of Muslim men armed with sticks and rocks attacked a Christian community in Jaranwala, Punjab, Pakistan.
[4] Christian residents fled as the events unfolded, moving to the eastern part of Jaranwala, nearby villages, and to the city of Faisalabad.
[11] The two Christian men cited in the original social media posts were arrested by the Punjab Police of Pakistan for alleged Quran desecration, a violation of the country's blasphemy law.
[4] Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need helped address the emergency needs of those whose livelihoods was destroyed, providing a support package for 464 families, including replacement rickshaws and motorcycles for drivers who had lost their vehicles.
[18] Pakistan's Interim Prime Minister, Anwar ul-Haq Kakar, criticized the rioters and called on them to stop the violence, posting on Twitter: “Stern action would be taken against those who violate the law and target minorities.”.
[4] Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch reacted: “The Faisalabad attack underscores the failings of Pakistan’s police to adequately protect religious minority communities and respond promptly to violence targeting them.
The lack of prosecutions of those responsible for such crimes in the past emboldens those who commit violence in the name of religion.” Organizations that condemn the attack included Amnesty International[4] and Minorities Alliance Pakistan.
[19] Archbishop Joseph Arshad of the Roman Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan stated: "Our places of worship and people are not safe in any way due to this.
Qazi Faez Isa, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, who headed the three-member bench of the Supreme Court, described the report, submitted by the Additional Advocate General of Punjab, as being worthy of “being thrown in the dustbin”.
Catholic Bishop Samson Shukardin lauded the Supreme Court's reaction as the first time the justice system had taken Christian persecution so seriously.