LAHORE, March 12: Representatives of various religious parties at a meeting here on Tuesday expressed solidarity with the Christian community in the wake of the Joseph Colony incident and termed it another attempt to undermine national unity and bring a bad name to Islam and Pakistan.

The meeting held under the aegis of the Jamaat-i-Islami emphasised Pakistan is as much a homeland for minorities, including Christians, as Muslims and Islam did not allow any discrimination on the basis of caste or creed. It held the police and law enforcement agencies responsible for the attack and expressed deep resentment against those involved.

JI Secretary-General Liaquat Baloch, in his address, said the Joseph Colony tragedy was a continuation of incidents in Quetta, Karachi and Peshawar and an attempt to shake the Muslim-Christian unity with a view to sabotaging the upcoming elections.

The bishop of Lahore, besides Christian leaders Dr Majid Able and Francis Nadeem, were also present. The bishop said the incident had created an impression that Christians were not secure.

He, however, said a Christian could not blaspheme against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He called for setting up of peace committees at union council-level to prevent such incidents in the future.

The meeting demanded a committee comprising Muslim ulema and Christian scholars be set up to assist the police in the investigation of the blasphemy case against the accused Sawan Masih to ensure a probe strictly on legal terms.

Paramedics: Paramedics on Tuesday organised a rally to express solidarity with the affected families of Joseph Colony.

Started from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, the rally ended at the Punjab Assembly.

Paramedics from teaching hospitals participated in the rally on the call of the Punjab Paramedics Alliance besides health supporting staff and sanitary workers.

PPA Chairman Malik Munir and other office bearers, including Iqbal Yousaf, Akbar Javed and Shoib Anwar, led the rally.