ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday condemned and deplored the attack and burning of a Church in Mardan by a mob.

President Zardari, in a message, said the highly provocative anti-Islam film had been condemned throughout the world and particularly in Pakistan by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

However the ransacking of public and private property particularly the places of worship of other religions was itself an un-Islamic and a highly condemnable act.

Describing the torching of the church as unfortunate and reprehensible, the president said that it was contrary to the teachings of Islam which ordained respecting places of worship of all religions.

He said that incidents like this portrayed Pakistan and Muslims negatively.