The Catholic Church of Pakistan has strongly condemned Sunday’s brutal suicide bombings against churches in Lahore, urging all Pakistanis to stand with their fellow Christians against extremists. In an official statement, the Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference (PCBC) urged the nation’s provincial and federal governments to "take effective measures to provide security to the churches of Pakistan, so as to guarantee freedom of religion and worship". The statement signed by PCBC president, Archbishop Joseph Coutts of Karachi, urged government, political parties, religious leaders and all citizens of Pakistan to stand alongside their Christian brothers and sisters, against extremist forces.
Suicide bombers exploded themselves near St. John’s Catholic Church and the Protestant Christ Church, some 600 meters apart, in the Christian neighborhood of Youhanabad in Lahore city on Sunday, as the faithful were gathered inside. At least 14 people were killed and many more injured.
Pakistan’s Catholic bishops also appealed to the Christian community, asking them to "avoid violence and to cooperate with the police in their investigations. We pray to our Lord Jesus Christ for the health of the injured and to grant grace to the families of the martyrs ". Episodes "of such atrocities," Archbishop Coutts said, "requires the whole nation to join hands and show itself united against terrorism. We can belong to any religion - Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Baha'is or other - but we should always promote peace and social harmony, protecting each other against terrorism. "
The terror attacks in Lahore have provoked a global outpouring of solidarity. From India Card. Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay and president of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC), told AsiaNews: "We offer our condolences to the bereaved families. May God comfort them in this time of suffering and pain.” "May the blood of these innocent Christians, bear fruits of mutual tolerance and harmonious co-existence and dialogue between Christians and Muslims in Pakistan,” Cardinal Gracias wished.
Pakistan's minority Christians on Monday blocked roads in the eastern cities of Lahore, Faisalabad, Sargodha and Gujranwala, in protest against the Lahore attacks. The demonstration forced public transport services to shut down. Protesters were also blocking a major highway that runs near the two attacked churches and prevented cars from driving by, said police officer Bilal Ahmad. Authorities said all Christian schools would remain closed as prayer services and funerals for the victims get underway later Monday, said Pakistani shipping and ports minister and Christian community leader Kamran Michael. He appealed on fellow Christians to remain peaceful.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaatul Ahrar (TTP-JA) claimed responsibility for both attacks. Pakistani Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan denounced the twin church attacks as an ``inhuman act of terrorism'' and said it also reflects the militants ``frustration'' in the face of a stepped-up military operation against them. Last June, Pakistan launched a major operation to rout militants from their strongholds and has claimed success in the offensive. ``We have shrunk the space for them to operate,'' Khan said Monday
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