Pakistani Christians protest deadly church bombing

September 23, 2013 - Angry Pakistani Christians on Monday denounced the deadliest attack ever in the predominantly Muslim nation against members of their faith as the death toll from the church bombings climbed overnight to 81. A pair of suicide bombers blew themselves up amid hundreds of worshippers outside the historic All Saints Church in the city of Peshawar. The attack, in which over 140 were also wounded, occurred as worshippers were leaving after services to get a free meal of rice offered on the front lawn. Missionary schools around the country would be closed for three days, said Christian leader Nasir Gill.
A wing of the Pakistani Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the bombing, saying they would continue to target non-Muslims until the U.S. stops drone attacks in the remote tribal region of Pakistan. The bombings also raised new questions about the Pakistani government's push to strike a peace deal with the militants to end a decade-long insurgency that has killed thousands of people. ``What dialogue are we talking about? Peace with those who are killing innocent people,'' asked the head of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, Paul Bhatti, whose brother, a federal minister, was gunned down by an Islamic extremist in 2011. ``They don't want dialogue. They don't want peace,'' Bhatti said, adding, “``Our state and our intelligence agencies are so weak that anybody can kill anyone anytime. It is a shame.''
Angry Christians blocked roads around the country to protest the bombings. On one of the main roads coming into the capital of Islamabad, demonstrators burned tires and demanded government protection for the members of the Christian minority.
Christians are a minority in Pakistan, where roughly 96 percent of the country's 180 million people is Muslim. The rest belong to other religions, including Christianity. Christians have often been attacked by Sunni Muslim militants, who view them as enemies of Islam because of their faith. Christians are also in a precarious position in Pakistan. While many Pakistanis condemned the Sunday bombings, Christians have often faced discrimination across the country. They often find it difficult to get access to education or better jobs and are known for having to contend with menial labour such as garbage collecting or street cleaning.