ASIA/PAKISTAN - Shots fired against agents in front of St. Peter’s church in Lahore

Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - Tension remains high in Lahore, capital of Punjab in Pakistan, especially in the Christian community: as Fides learns, yesterday two masked men on a motorcycle, fired shots against police officers who were present outside the entrance of the Catholic Church of St. Peter. The police started firing and the criminals ran away. Two passers-by were slightly injured in the clash.
The incident happened in broad daylight, at two in the afternoon. At the time of the attack there were only 25 people in the building. Local Christians have publicly thanked "the courageous resistance of the policemen who protect our security" and chanted slogans in favor of the police and against terrorism.
The Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif was informed of the new attack and ordered investigators to submit a report on the facts.
Christian lawyer Sardar Mushtaq Gill, human rights defender and President of the NGO "LEAD" tells Fides: "We urge the government to take appropriate measures to counter militant groups in society and to take legal action without religious discrimination . We demand justice for the attacks on churches in Youhanabad. This incident creates new fear and insecurity in the Christian community".
Meanwhile, with regards to the Christian couple, who were burned alive by a mob of Muslims in Kot Radha Kishan (in Punjab) only because they were accused of blasphemy (see Fides 04/11/2014), the police are continuing the investigation with a new "special investigation team". There are 25 suspects who are still in custody and magistrates have heard several witnesses. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 25/03/2015)


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