Second day of protests follow Lahore church bombings
A rare display of anger from persecuted minority group in Pakistan.
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| Thousands of Christians protested across Pakistan for a second day Tuesday against twin Taliban suicide bombings of churches that left 17 dead |
Sunday's attacks in Lahore’s Youhanabad neighborhood, home to more than 130,000 Christians, sparked mob violence in which two other suspected militants were killed, with Christians smashing up cars and a bus station in a rare show of anger from the persecuted minority group.
Protesters again turned violent on Monday, despite the presence of 1,000 police officers, who fired water cannon in an effort to contain the rampaging crowds.
Tariq Butt, a doctor at General Hospital, said one more person was killed and 12 injured after they were run over by a speeding car that was attempting to flee the riots.
Police spokeswoman Nabila Ghazanfar said that a female suspect had been detained in connection with the incident.
Government officials condemned the protests.
“The violent protesters, who were damaging public and private properties following the tragic incident in Lahore, will be dealt with strictly,” Punjab government spokesman Syed Zaeem Qadri said Monday.
"Holding a peaceful protest is a fundamental right of every citizen but causing damage to others in the name of a demonstration will not be tolerated," he said.
Monday’s violence comes after the death toll from Sunday's bombings — the deadliest attack on Pakistan's Christians in more than a year — rose to 17 after two more died from their injuries, according to hospital officials.
Demonstrators expressed their anger at the killings, many arming themselves with clubs while others carried giant crosses as they took to the streets of Youhanabad on Monday.
"We are on the roads to get justice, we want protection," said Maqbool Bhatti, a 50-year-old government employee who criticized the authorities for failing to take adequate security measures to safeguard Christians.
"There was no proper security on Sunday, the government should protect all churches," he said.
Churches 'soft targets'
Christians volunteers meanwhile established their own security checkpoints, tying ropes across the roads leading into Youhanabad and patting down worshippers who had come to offer prayers for the dead ahead of funerals planned for Tuesday.
Some carried placards with slogans such as "Why do you kill us?", "Stop killing Christians," and "Let us live".
Protests were also held in Karachi, while special prayers were planned at churches throughout the country and Christian groups and members of civil society held candlelit vigils.
Christians, who make up around two percent of Pakistan's mostly Muslim population of 180 million, have been targeted in recent years, often over allegations of profanity regarding the Qur'an or the Prophet Mohammed.
Sunday's attacks were the worst on the community since a devastating double suicide-bombing in the northwestern city of Peshawar in September 2013 killed 82 people.
That came months after more than 3,000 Muslim protesters torched some 100 houses as they rampaged through Joseph Colony, another Christian neighborhood in Lahore, following blasphemy allegations against a Christian man.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan claimed the Taliban had turned their attention on places of worship and other "soft targets" because ongoing military operations had hampered their ability to fight the army.
"Due to military operations the noose has been tightening around militants and now it has significantly contained them," he told a committee.
"They are now hitting the softest targets like churches, mosques and schools. It shows their frustration."
Appeal for calm
Rana Sanaullah, a former Punjab law minister, was part of a team of government officials who on Monday met with members of the Christian community, including Lahore’s Anglican bishop, Irfan Jamil.
“We are ready to accept all legitimate demands of the Christian community and will beef up security at churches and other places of worship,” he said.
Sanaullah said that demonstrators eventually dispersed later in the evening following negotiations between leaders from Lahore diocese and government officials.
Fr Joseph Coutts, Archbishop of Karachi and Chairman of the Pakistan Bishops Council, called for unity.
“The incidents, which happened in Lahore after the blasts, are against the law and we strongly condemn them,” he said. “We never condone street or mob justice. This should not have happened.”
However, he noted that the government must do more to address violence against religious minorities.
“We are standing helpless against terrorists,” he said.
Source: UCAN/AFP
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