Headlines
Pakistan mourns church victims, Christians protest
Islamabad, March 16
Pakistan on Monday mourned
the dead in the deadly suicide attacks on two churches in Lahore that
killed 15 people, as Christians took to the streets to denounce the
ghastly massacre.
Provincial governments declared Monday a day of
mourning. All missionary schools and colleges were shut across the
country, officials and the media reported.
Security was stepped
up in churches and missionary institutions while patrolling by police
and Pakistan Rangers were enhanced, Dunya TV quoted officials as saying.
Prayer ceremonies were held in churches across Pakistan on Monday.
Two
powerful explosions on Sunday rocked the Catholic Church and the Christ
Church in Lahore's Youhanabad area, home to the country's biggest
Christian population.
The churches are separated by half a kilometre.
Jamatul
Ahrar, an offshoot of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban, claimed
responsibility for the attack which took place as large crowds were in
the area to attend the Sunday prayers.
Violent protests erupted
at the site after the blasts, with a 4,000-strong Christian mob armed
with clubs smashing vehicles and setting fire to two suspected
terrorists.
Television footage showed dozens of stick-wielding
men ransacking the city's metro bus terminal. Protesters also clashed
with the police.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the anger and
grief of the Christian community in the wake of the terror attack
strengthened the government's resolve to counter terrorism.
"Our
Christian community has rendered invaluable services to the motherland,
particularly in the social sector, and we consider them as our honour
and pride," Sharif said.
Pakistan's Christian community on Monday took to the streets in Faisalabad and Lahore.
Protesters
gathered at Faisalabad's Millat road where they burnt tires and
attacked a rickshaw, Dawn online reported. They also blocked the
Kamalpur Interchange on Faisalabad motorway.
Following the mob attack on the metro bus terminal in Lahore, authorities curtailed bus routes on Monday.
In
Karachi, hundreds of Christians blocked roads. There were also
demonstrations in Peshawar in the country's north-west and in the cities
of Multan and Quetta.
On Monday, police registered cases over the twin bombings.
Senior Superintendent of Police Rana Ayyaz Saleem said discussions were on file a case over the retaliatory violence too.
Interior
Minister Chaudhry Nisar described the church bombings as tragic and
said the extremists appeared intent on dividing Pakistan.
He said attacks on mosques and churches depicted the "wretched condition" of terrorist outfits outlawed by the government.
The minister said further steps were needed to eradicate militancy in the country.