LAHORE, Aug 10: Scores of Christians on Wednesday demanded early arrest of Foreign Minister Khursheed Kasuri and the Railways’ general manager for violating the sanctity of the St. Andrew’s Church.

They also burnt effigies of the minister and the GM for “the former bought and the latter sold their place of worship”.

Holding placards and chanting slogans against the minister and the railways GM, the protesters had gathered near the Lahore Press Club to demand return of the St. Andrew’s Church on 45 Grand Trunk Road to them.

Father George Daniel, Pitras Ghani, Daniel Pal, Church Committee president Sadiq Masih, Baba Yousaf Gill, Zia Khokhar, Rashid Chaudhry and Advocate Tariq Javed were among speakers who condemned the indifferent attitude of the authorities concerned towards the issue.

They alleged that the administration of a school system, owned by the foreign minister, was using the church as a marriage hall, but the railways GM was not taking any measure either to stop the practice or return the worship place to the Christians.

They also demanded early arrest of the killers of former federal minister Derek Ciprin.

They will hold a press conference on Aug 20 at the Bogey Road protest camp and hold a march from there up to the church soon after the local elections.

Railways authorities said they respected the places of worship of all religions. The consent of the Roman Catholic Church had also been sought whether it would take responsibility of the church.

The St. Andrew’s Church Restoration Committee, they said, had been assured that if it could prove that the building being used by the school was a church, it would be handed over to the Christians.