ISLAMABAD, Nov 14: Christians in the country would observe a day of mourning on Thursday to protest last week’s attacks on their churches in a Punjab town, the All Pakistan Minority Alliance (APMA) announced on Monday. APMA chairman Shahbaz Bhatti told a press conference here on Monday that all Christian institutions would be closed on that day and members of minorities in government offices would wear black armbands to register their protest at the attacks by mobs on three Presbyterian churches in Sangla Hill, district Nankana in Sheikhupura.

Mr Bhatti demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident, alleging that local police, called by church authorities, arrived three hours late and just stood by allowing the attackers to set the churches on fire.

SHO Malik Shabir Awan of Sangla Hill should be suspended “for negligence of duty” and be investigated “for involvement” in the incident, the minority leader said.

That the attackers used chemicals which melted metal objects like fans indicated that they were “trained terrorists”, he said.

Mr Bhatti rejected the view that the attack was provoked by the desecration of Holy Quran by a local Christian, Yousaf Masih.

Yousuf Masih was a victim of his partner in gambling, Kalo Saniara, who had threatened him with “dire consequences” after losing several times to him, the APMA chief asserted.

He said Masih had voluntarily surrendered to the police and asked for detaining Saniara too who has since been absconding.

Mr Bhatti said the police did not inform the attackers that their alleged culprit was already under arrest, thus allowing them to proceed to Tariq Colony where they set fire to a Convent school’s hostel and burnt to ashes a small church inside the girls’ hostel.

He regretted that so far no government representative had visited the area to reconcile the two groups.

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and President Pervez Musharraf should openly condemn the incident and ensure security to the Christian community, he added.

Bishop Anthony Lobo and MPA Rafique Pervez, who accompanied Mr Bhatti at the press conference, asked the government to arrest 10 culprits nominated by the aggrieved Christians.

They said the minorities would go to every extent to get justice and would approach international humanitarian agencies if the government failed to provide them security.

Bishop Lobo, however, emphasized the need for Muslim-Christian unity in combating terrorist activities and averting desecration of religious books as all holy books deserve respect from every sect, religion and belief.