Two years after Jaranwala church burnings: no convictions, no justice

In August 2023, Jaranwala witnessed one of Pakistan’s worst mob attacks against its Christian community: 24 churches and over 80 homes were set ablaze after false blasphemy allegations spread from mosque loudspeakers.

Families fled as mobs roamed freely, torching homes, desecrating holy books, and destroying entire neighborhoods. Two years later, not a single perpetrator has been convicted.

Survivors still live with fear, rebuilding lives while justice remains out of reach.

The state promised accountability, inquiries, and compensation, but like Shanti Nagar, Gojra, and Joseph Colony before it, Jaranwala too risks becoming another forgotten headline.

This story looks at what really happened after the cameras left: the broken promises, the slow pace of prosecution, and the silence that followed.