KARACHI, Nov 1: Participants of a peaceful demonstration condemned the killings in a Bahawalpur church and asked the government to immediately arrest the culprits.

The demonstration was organized by the Pakistan Study Circle (PSC) at Karachi Press Club on Thursday. The speakers also condemned the US carpet bombing on Afghanistan in which a large number of innocent civilians, including women and children, have been killed.

They said that the members of the minority communities had been living in the country without any fear, but after the Bahawalpur carnage their confidence was shaken, with a feeling of insecurity spreading among them.

They asked the government to take stern action against all the parties — political and religious — that were responsible for fanning communal and sectarian hatred in the country.

The protesters said the minority communities had been playing their due role in the progress of the country for over half a century and it was the duty of the government and the members of the majority community to ensure their safety and security.

They were carrying placards and raising slogans in support of their demands. Some of the slogans included: “arrest killers of Bahawalpur tragedy”, “down with US imperialism”, “stop bombing on Afghanistan”, etc.

The PSC leaders Rahila Tiwana, William Sadiq, Zahid Farooq, Safina Javed minority councillor Mangla Sharma and others spoke on the occasion.