HYDERABAD/MIRPUR­KHAS: Members of the Christian community in Hyderabad and Mirpur­khas took to the streets and raised slogans against bombing of two churches in Lahore on Sunday.

The protesters also pelted vehicles and shops with stones and blocked roads with burning tyres.

In Hyderabad, groups of men, women and children came out of their several colonies located in Latifabad to form a procession.

Know more: 15 killed in Taliban attack on Lahore churches

The participants marched up to the local press club, where they held a noisy demonstration raising slogans against terrorists and police.

They blocked Miran Mohammed Shah Road near Radio Pakistan and some other thoroughfares demanding protection for Christians across the country and action against terrorists.

Synod Church of Pakistan secretary general Imran Joseph, Bishop of Hyderabad Diocese Church of Pakistan Kaleem John, Catholic Bishop Samson Shukardin and former Bishop Rafiq Masih spoke to the protesters and condemned the bombings. They supported their religious leaders’ call for a closure of all missionary schools on Monday.

They noted that militants were not sparing even churches, mosques, temples, imambargahs and shrines in their inhuman acts of terrorism. They appealed to the army to intensify the operation against terrorists.

In Mirpurkhas, several hundred Christians took out a rally and held a sit-in outside the the local press club to condemn the attacks on churches.

The rally, taken out from Christian Colony, was led by Father Abid and Father John Ibrahim, who demanded immediate arrest of all those involved in the bombings.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2015

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