August 17, 2024
By Xari Jalil
LAHORE
The tragedy of Jaranwala occurred a year ago yet the trauma of the incident was still fresh, said activists from the religious minority community at a commemoration event. The event was organized by the Cecil and Iris Chaudhry Foundation (CICF), led by Michelle Chaudhry.
Over 25 churches and hundreds of homes and businesses were ransacked, looted, and set ablaze by a radical mob, leaving families, especially children, terrorized and traumatized, but most importantly they still await justice.
In this regard the CICF invited people from the government, the NCHR, and the minority communities to discuss the reasons behind the extremism and to find possible solutions.
CICF also faciliated testimonies from the victims who continue to face social, economic and religious discrimination in the aftermath of the incident. The speakers also highlighted concerns over the implementation of Article 10 of the Constitution of Pakistan which guarantees a fair trial for all citizens and provided updates on the legal progress of the Jaranwala cases.
Mental health expert from Pahchaan, Dr Naeem Zafar shared insight into the effects of such incidents on vulnerable groups especially women and children and discussed ways to address these challenges to restore faith in humanity and help victims rebuild their lives.
The program was addressed by Minister for Human Rights and Minority Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora as well as member of National Commission for Human Rights, Nadeem Ashraf.
Other eminent speakers included Hina Jillani, Peter Jacob, Irfan Mufti, etc.