In solidarity: Citizens protest against Lahore blasts

Protests were held in Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro and Sukkur

KARACHI: Waseem was preparing for Sunday prayers when he heard about the two bomb blasts in Lahore. "It was 11:30am and I was at our church near Karimabad," he said. "The hall was buzzing with text messages and phone calls from relatives and friends."

Around 14 people were killed while more than 70 were injured when two suicide bombers attacked churches in Lahore on Sunday, sparking mob violence in which two other suspected militants died. The bombings occurred during prayers at two churches located around half a kilometre apart in Lahore's Youhanabad neighbourhood that is home to more than 100,000 Christians.

After Sunday prayers concluded, Waseem and his friends Danish and Zeeshan made their way to Essa Nagri. These three friends were joined by more than 50 others who took to the streets to protest. Many of them burnt tyres and shouted slogans condemning the attack on their community.

"This is the second time our churches have been attacked," said Danish. "It is our right to protest. We will protest. If we don't, these attacks will keep happening." He added that if they did not block roads or burn tyres then the government would never give them any attention or hear their sorrows. According to Waseem, these attacks were barbaric. "Why can't people just respect each other?" he asked.

At Karachi Press Club, around 200 men, women and children had gathered to protest against the Lahore blasts. "We are your countrymen," shouted 12-year-old Salman. "Let us live!"  Pastor Adnan Tabassum had come to join the protest after he was done with Sunday Mass. "Why are the Christians being targeted in Punjab?" he asked as protesters shouted slogans against the government.

Anthony Saleem, a resident of United Colony, was holding a placard and demanding justice. The protesters said that the government and law enforcers should provide their community and places of worship with proper protection.

Schools closed

Over 50 missionary schools in Karachi will remain closed on Monday in reaction to the twin blasts at Catholic and Protestant churches in Lahore.

Following the incident, the standing committee members of the Catholic Board of Education met on Sunday and decided that all educational institutions belonging to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Karachi will remain closed on Monday in mourning.

Meanwhile, Rev Sadiq Daniel, bishop of the Church of Pakistan, said that all missionary schools in the country, including Trinity Methodist Secondary School and College in Karachi, will remain closed to mourn those who died.

Lower and upper Sindh

Protests and demonstrations were held in Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Thatta and Tando Muhammad Khan districts.

Bishop Kaleem John and Bishop Samson Shukardin, who head 36 Protestant and 43 Catholic churches, respectively in Sindh, appealed to the people to remain peaceful and avoid taking recourse to violence as a form of protest.

Religious, political and nationalist leaders also condemned the incident and expressed solidarity with the Christian community.

In Sukkur, residents of the city stepped out of their homes in the evening to protest against the twin blasts in Lahore, led by Father Muneer Basheer of the Saint Saviour's Church. "We condemn the attack," he said. "The government has failed to fulfill its responsibility to protect its people."

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2015.