Another attack: Two injured in shootout in front of church

Armed men on a motorcycle opened fire at cops on guard at St Peter’s Church, Township.

LAHORE: Two passers-by were injured in an exchange of fire between unidentified armed men and policemen standing guard at St Peter’s Church in Township on Tuesday.

Township DSP Atif Hayat told The Express Tribune that two unidentified armed men on motorcycles drove next to the church at Girja Chowk around noon and fired shots in the air. He said the policemen standing guard at the church shot at them and a cross fire ensued in which two passers-by received bullet wounds.

DSP Hayat said that the men drove away and were chased by the policemen on duty. However, they failed to nab them, he said. Two men, Imran, 30, and Majeed, 35, received bullet wounds in the foray. They were taken to a hospital where doctors treating them said their condition was stable.

The DSP said the Township police have registered an FIR against two unidentified assailants under Sections 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging duty); 186 (obstructing public servants in discharge of duty); and 342 (manslaughter) of the Pakistan Penal Code. When asked why the case hadn’t been registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act, the DSP said that it was because the attackers had shot directly at the policemen.

Following the incident, residents of the area, most of them Christian, held a demonstration against terrorism and the targeting of Christians in particular.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif later took notice of the incident and sought a report from the Inspector General of Police.

He also ordered an inquiry into the incident.

The chief minister demanded that the suspects be arrested as soon as possible and taken to task

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2015.