Christian community seeks proactive security steps

Members of Christian community have demanded of the government and law enforcement agencies to take proactive security measures for protection of Churches, missionary schools, and their residential colonies amid threats by militants to carryout more attacks on minorities across the country.
Addressing a news conference here at the Peshawar Press Club on Saturday, Chairman All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), Dr Pal Bhatti said the attack on Church was an outrageous act of terrorism in which innocent people were targeted including women, children and aged ones. "We don't need to waste time on debate why this attack was carried out on the Church, but the government and law enforcement agencies should promptly workout a comprehensive security plan to prevent such attacks on minorities in future," Dr Bhatti said.
Flanked by Pastor Ejaz Gul and members of victims' families, he said the Peshawar incident shouldn't be linked with religion as it was basically a terrorist act. "No religion permits to carry out such cowardly act against the innocent people; those people involved in this incident had had intentions to sow the seed of differences among the people of various religions and sects," he said.
Dr Bhatti said that the attack was against the solidarity and integrity of the country and peace, which aimed to create differences among the minorities and people of other religions in Pakistan. He said the Christian community is also citizen of the state, and government's responsibility is to take effective steps for protection of their lives and properties. "We can't surrender before any anti-state element and should quickly react against such inhuman and heinous attacks," he stressed. He demanded of the government to extend all kinds of financial support and co-operation with members of victims' family.
Pastor Ejaz Gul said the incident occurred due to complete security lapse, in which innocent people targeted. He informed that more than 142 people died, while 168 were injured in the Church attack, according to data available with the members of Church committee.
Meanwhile, in a separate press conference of All Pakistan Council of World Religions (Faith Friends) also strongly condemned the attack on Church and yesterday's bomb blast on bus of the government civil servants in Peshawar. Speaking on the occasion, members of APCWR, Faith Friends, include Allama Fakhar Kararvi, Haroon Sarabdiyal, Mualana Maqsood Salfi and Pastor Ejaz Gul termed that the attack was aimed to sabotage peace talks and implementation of unanimous decision of All Parties Conference. "War and violence always proved as path of destruction, which was never sort of any meaningful solution of any issue," they said.