ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government has ordered a high-level investigation into the burning of a church in Gujjar Khan, as per Home Office sources.
As of now, the local police have not filed a First Information Report (FIR) regarding the incident.
Investigators have disclosed that the church had been established on National Highway Authority (NHA) property many years ago. Approximately 25 years back, NHA authorities constructed a 12-Marla building on Kaliam Road and relocated the church there.
Reportedly, the church in Gujjar Khan had been unoccupied for more than 12 years. Around a decade ago, elders from the Christian community began holding Sunday services at the Kaliam Road church without any disputes. A preliminary investigation report has been submitted to the Punjab Home Office, but it does not implicate any specific individual or group.
When contacted for comment, Babar Sarfaraz Alpa, the Regional Police Officer (RPO) for Rawalpindi Region, stated, “The police have yet to recover any significant evidence except indications of a short circuit causing the fire. However, our investigation remains ongoing.” Despite efforts, forensic evidence and examination have not yielded any leads so far, as concluded by the RPO.
Dr. Majeed Abel, Executive Secretary of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan, has urged authorities to uncover the truth behind the church incident, demanding that those responsible be held accountable according to the law.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
