KARACHI, Dec 13: Various Christian community leaders announced on Thursday that their community members would observe fast on Friday to express solidarity with their Muslim brothers.

Speaking at a press conference in Khokhar House in Essa Nagri, they said Pope John Paul II had directed the Christians the world over to observe fast on the last Friday (Juma-tul-Wida) of Ramazan to express solidarity with the Muslims.

They said the local Christian community had decided that not only the Roman Catholics but members of all Christian sects in the city would fast to express solidarity with the Muslims.

They also demanded that the culpritsof the Bahawalpur church carnage be arrested and brought to book.

Pakistan Minority Inqilabi Tehreek chief Saleem Khurshid Khokhar, Father Sadiq Daniel (Church of Pakistan), Father Peter John (Catholic Church), Enamuel Sardar (Salvation Army Church), Anwer Sardar (Seventh-day Church), Yaqoob Masih (Methodist Church in Pakistan) and others were also present.