Catholics ‘stand with Armed Forces’

Urge United Nations to hold an inquiry into the incident.

FAISALABAD:

The Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (PCBC) has strongly condemned the killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers and violation of the country’s airspace by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces.

In a statement issued to the media on Sunday, the PCBC on behalf of the country’s Christians expressed concern over the incident and termed the air strike an attack on the sovereignty and integrity of the country. It said the act was a clear violation of International law and should, therefore, not acceptable.

The PCBC demanded a fair and transparent investigation into the incident and called upon the United Nations to play its role in this regard. It stressed the need for peace-building initiatives, specifically in South Asia.

PCBC president Bishop Joseph Coutts expressed sympathy and solidarity with the families of the deceased soldiers and said that Christian community of the country stood with the families in their hour of grief.

“Our soldiers lost their lives in the line of duty. They died fighting terrorism,” Coutts said. He paid tributes to the patriotism and bravery of the soldiers fighting along the Western border of the country and assured them of all out support by his community.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2011.