ISLAMABAD, March 24: The Christian Liberation Front (CLF) has declared that it would launch a countrywide protest movement if perpetrators of the grenade attack on Protestant International Church were not arrested.

A press release issued here said a day of mourning and special prayers was observed by Christians on Sunday on the call of CLF.

Churches throughout the country held special sessions to pray for the departed souls while many people kept a fast and wore black bands on their arms as a mark of deep sorrow.

The CLF president, Shahbaz Bhatti, who visited various churches and attended prayer meetings in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, said the brutal act of terrorism had sent a wave of shock through the entire Christian community of the country and damaged the country’s image abroad.

Mr Bhatti demanded of the government to constitute a judicial commission under a judge of the Supreme Court to investigate the matter and award exemplary punishment to culprits.

The CLF chief demanded that security should be beefed up in our churches and institutions to ensure that no such incident would ever occur again.

He also appealed to the government to constitute a “National Commission for Religious Tolerance” comprising members of all religious communities of the country to promote inter-faith harmony and tolerance in Pakistan.

He said, “due to discriminatory laws, the Christian community of Pakistan was already marginalized. Now the attacks on churches have added to our feeling of insecurity.”