SUNDAY’S brutal attack in a church in Peshawar leaving at least 78 people dead and 120 injured sparked outrage across the country with protests in major cities and towns.

A demonstration by charged youths in Peshawar was followed by large-scale protests, some of them violent, in parts of Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rahimyar Khan, Hyderabad and Quetta. In Peshawar, protesters placed bodies of the people killed in the blast on the G.T Road, blocking traffic for some time. They burnt belongings of police personnel deployed at the church for security.

Angry relatives of the victims smashed windowpanes of the Lady Reading Hospital in protest against absence of doctors and paramedics and shortage of beds and medicine. They said many of the injured died because of absence and negligence of doctors. In Karachi, members of the Christian community held protests in Issa Nagri and blocked parts of nearby Gulshan-i-Iqbal, one of the city’s congested residential areas.

A pitched battle between the demonstrators and Rangers and police personnel kept vehicular traffic off the road in the area for several hours. Security personnel used teargas and fired in the air to disperse the protesters.

Peaceful protests were held on Sharea Faisal near Gora Qabristan, on the National Highway near Malir Burf Khana, Natha Khan Goth, Taiser Town and Pahar Ganj.

Later, protesters gathered outside the Karachi Press Club and chanted slogans against the PTI-led government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Demonstrations were also held in Hyderabad and Nawabshah.

The protesters called for exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of the terrorist act and urged the government to provide protection to the Christian community.

Bishop Kaleem Jan held a special service for the victims at St Thomas Church in Hyderabad and termed the incident a national tragedy. He urged the community to remain calm and pray for the aggrieved families.

In Quetta, members of the Christian community took out a procession and their leaders said the government had failed to curb terrorism and protect the lives of citizens.

The protesters holding placards marched from Kasi and Zarghoon roads, set tyres ablaze, and held a rally at the press club after passing through various parts of the city.

They accused the Peshawar administration of not providing adequate security to churches.

Addressing the rally, Tariq Gul, Fazal and Fayyaz said the terrorists were not even allowing people to pray in churches, mosques and imambargahs, which was a great tragedy.

They said it was incomprehensible why innocent Christians were attacked when they had no role in government affairs.

They said they would not bow before terrorism and would stand with the nation in the fight against extremism.

The speakers demanded protection for churches and other places of worship in Balochistan.

In Punjab, members of the community blocked roads and thoroughfares in Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan Gujranwala and Rahimyar Khan.

A large number of them converged at the Lahore Press Club, Charring Cross, and The Mall. Yuhanabad, the city’s biggest Christian locality on Ferozepur Road, was the scene of serious protests by people simmering with anger. Several stick wielding blocked both sides of Ferozepur Road by burning tyres. The metro bus route was also blocked, disrupting the bus operation.