‘A change is due in our narrative’

1,000 attend prayer service for victims of the Peshawar church bombing.

LAHORE:

A special prayer service was held at Saint Anthony’s Church on Thursday for the victims of the twin bombings at a church in Peshawar last week.

The service was organised by Cecil and Iris Chaudhry Foundation (CICF). Nearly 1,000 people were present at the ceremony.

Speaking at the occasion, Justice (r) Nasira Javed Iqbal, said, “The bombings were an act of monstrosity. Rarely in life does one witness such brutality. I am shocked at the way lives of hundreds of people were destroyed. Those behind this attack cannot be humans. The government should make efforts to protect all its citizens, irrespective of their faith and religious beliefs.”

CICF president Michelle Chaudhry called for unity among all communities of the country.

“The gravity of the deteriorating law and order situation cannot be expressed in words,” she said.

She said her community was committed to maintaining interfaith harmony.

“We will continue to resist persecution by seeking inclusion in the society peacefully,” she said.

National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) Executive Director Cecil Shane Chaudhry said the government should take a stronger stance on terrorism.

He said the government seemed confused about who the real enemy was.

“How can you say terrorists are not human and then negotiate with them,” he said.

He said the government, the media, educational institutions and the civil society needed to address the issue of growing religious intolerance collectively.

Chaudhry said bias in text books should be removed as it was breeding a culture of bigotry.

“A change is due in our entire narrative,” he said.

CICF Advocacy and Communications Sheharbano Khan said, “The media should highlight the discrimination minority groups face every day.”

Father Bonnie Mendes conducted the prayer service for the victims.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2013.