Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar visited the violence-hit Jaranwala town in Punjab province and handed out a compensation of Rs 2 million each to around 100 Christian families whose homes were burnt down along with 21 churches by a mob of radical Islamists last week. The mob ransacked and torched 21 churches and several houses of Christians last week over blasphemy allegations in Jaranwala town of Faisalabad district, 130 km from Punjab’s provincial capital Lahore. A Christian cemetery and the office of the local assistant commissioner were also vandalised.

Kakar visited Jaranwala to express solidarity with the victims of the Christian community, where he distributed cheques worth two million rupees (USD 6,800) each to the affected people.

He assured all the minority communities in the country that the government is committed to protecting their lives and properties as he pledged to bring the perpetrators of heinous attacks against Christians to justice.