Christians in Pakistan need our prayers after anti-Christian riots left churches and homes devastated in the city of Jaranwala, Punjab. On 16 August, armed mobs, reportedly incited by local mosque leaders, attacked the Christian community after torn pages of the Quran were allegedly discovered nearby. At least 22 church buildings were attacked, with five of them set ablaze, in riots lasting several hours. Dozens of houses of Christians were ransacked and set on fire. A Christian cemetery was also desecrated. “This mob have ruined not only our lives but also looted everything… what bad have we done? Where is justice? O God, have mercy on us,” said Fayaz Masih, a Christian resident of Jaranwala to the Barnabas team on the ground out there. Hundreds of Christian families fled for safety to nearby villages or to Faisalabad city about 40km away. The following day, some started to return. They came home to the stillburning remains of churches, and to discover the little they had has been taken or destroyed.
