ISLAMABAD, Sept 23: The federal government has directed the provinces to take adequate steps to protect churches.

“We have asked all provincial governments to ensure security of churches in their peripheries,” Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters on Sunday. “We will provide foolproof security to churches across the country,” he added.

Referring to the burning of a church in Mardan by a mob on Friday when Yaum-i-Ishq-i-Rasool (Love for the Prophet day) was observed against an anti-Islam film produced in the US by an extremist Christian, the minister said a committee had been formed to investigate the incident.

He blamed the Punjab government for the ransacking of public and private property in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

“More than 35,000 people, including activists of banned organisations, were brought from Punjab who entered the federal capital from Barakahu and Faizabad,” he claimed.

“We will definitely expose elements who were patronising demonstrators. We have evidence that six policemen of Punjab police were taking part in demonstrations as protesters.”

Mr Malik said he had asked the inspector general of Punjab police to explain how thousands of demonstrators could reach Islamabad without any hindrance.

He said some 64 demonstrators and 14 motorcycles were in the custody of Islamabad police.

Responding to a question, the minister said the government would raise the issue of the anti-Islam film at the forthcoming Saarc conference.