Peshawar, Pakistan: burials underway for church attack victims

(Vatican Radio) Victims were laid to rest on Monday in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, following the double suicide bombing that killed at least 80 people at a church the day before. Two militant groups with links to the Taliban said they ordered the attack in retaliation for US drone strikes. Political and religious leaders condemned the attack, while crowds took to the streets to decry authorities’ failure to protect minorities. The former minister for inter-faith harmony in Pakistan and the head of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, Paul Bhatti told Vatican Radio the incident illustrates the need for stronger ties of unity among all religious groups in Pakistan. “We have to get united with all the religious communities here,” he said, “with Muslims, with Hindus, with Christians, so that we can in some way [combat] this act of violence, which is against humanity.” Bhatti added, “[the attack] does not belong to any religion, it was inhuman, and it was a violence against humanity.” Asked about the appeal of Pope Francis for peace in Pakistan, Bhhatti said, “I think the message of Pope [Francis] was of great encouragement to all of us and especially the Christian community.” Listen to Dr. Paul Bhatti’s conversation with Vatican Radio’s Massimiliano Menichetti: