BAHAWALPUR City News

Attacks on Lahore churches condemned
From Our Correspondents
BAHAWALPUR: Various politicians, lawyers and civil society members on Sunday strongly condemned the suicide attacks on churches in Lahore and demanded exemplary punishment for the elements involved in them.
Commenting on the attacks, Jamaat-e-Islami Punjab ameer Dr Waseem Akhtar strongly condemned the attacks, which claimed 14 lives. He said that the attacks were a conspiracy as no Muslim could do so. He termed the attacks barbaric and inhuman. He expressed his solidarity with the Christian community. High Court Bar Association president Haji Khair Muhammad, DBA president Syed Masood Ahmad, human rights activist Khawaja Asadullah, ex-DBA general secretary Muhammad Jamshed Khan, LHC Bahawalpur Bench Bar Association ex-secretary Tariq Mehmood Khan and PPP district information secretary Muhammad Saleem Bhatti also condemned the suicide attacks. They demanded stern action against those elements who were involved in the attacks. Meanwhile, the Christians held a meeting to condemn the Lahore attacks at St Dominic Church, Gulzar-e-Sadiq. The participants of the meeting severely condemned the attacks and termed them inhuman. Father Nadeem Joseph while talking to The News strongly condemned the attacks and told that the Christian community of Bahawalpur would stage a demonstration and take out a rally from St Dominic Church on Monday (today).
TOBA TEK SINGH: A condolence meeting was held for the Christians who were killed during the suicide attacks on churches in Lahore.
The condolence meeting was held at the Catholic Church in which Fr Yaqub Yousaf said that the Christian community would mourn the deaths of the Christians for three-day. He asked the Christian community to remain patient. He demanded the government take immediate steps for protection of churches in the country. Fr Zafar Iqbal, PML-N Minority Wing district president Rasheed Jalal, former district council member Ayub Anjum, Robin

Gulshan and other Christian leaders also spoke. Meanwhile, former minority councillor Ashraf John Sindhu also addressed a gathering of protesting Christians in a local church at Kamalia and condemned the attacks and demanded arrest of the culprits who were involved in the incidents.
MUZAFFARGARH: More than 150 Christians on Sunday staged two demonstrations in separate incidents against the suicide attacks on churches in Lahore, which claimed 14 lives.
The protesters having sticks in their hands chanted slogans against the attacks and blocked Multan-Muzaffargarh Road by staging a sit-in. They also burnt tyres in protest. The Christians also protested against the suicide attacks at Tehsil Kot Addu. The protesters said that the government had failed to curb terrorism and protect lives of citizens. Later, the protesters marched through various roads and later took out a rally from Qanwan Chowk. The district police had adopted strict security arrangements outside churches to avoid any untoward incident.
GUJRANWALA: The Christian community on Sunday staged a demonstration against the suicide attacks of terrorists on churches in Lahore, which claimed 14 lives.
The protesters blocked traffic on GT Road along Gondlanwala Crossing and burnt tyres. They demanded arrest of the culprits. Later, they dispersed peacefully.
HAFIZABAD: The Christian community on Sunday took out a rally against the terrorist attacks on churches in Lahore.
The rally started from Kasoke Road and culminated outside the press club. The protesters were led by Pitras Masih, Ishaq Masih and Abbas Masih. The protesters chanted slogans against the attacks and demanded protection from the government.
KASUR: The Christian community on Sunday staged a demonstration against the attacks on two churches in Lahore. The protesters blocked the Kutchery Road and later took out a rally from Kot Murad Khan. The participants of the rally culminated at the National Bank Chowk and chanted slogans against the attacks.