VATICAN CITY, Oct 28: Pope John Paul condemned the murder of Christians in Bahawalpur church on Sunday as “an evil act”, and said he was praying for the victims and their families.

Unknown men shot dead 15 Christians and a policeman in a Catholic Church on Sunday morning.

The Pope’s office sent a telegram to the Pakistan Catholic Church “expressing his absolute condemnation of this further tragic act of intolerance”.

“He expresses his prayerful closeness to all affected by this evil act and as a pledge of comfort and strength he invokes upon the entire community the blessings of Almighty God,” the telegram said.

The killings took place during a Protestant service that was being held in the Catholic church. —Reuters