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Death toll jumps to 85 after attack on church
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Angry Pakistani Christians yesterday denounced the deadliest attack ever in this country against members of their faith as the death toll from the church bombings the day before climbed to 85.
A pair of suicide bombers blew themselves up amid hundreds of worshippers outside a historic church in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday.
The attack on the All Saints Church in Peshawar, which also wounded over 140 people, occurred as worshippers were leaving after service to get a free meal of rice offered on the front lawn.
A wing of the Pakistani Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the bombings, saying they would continue to target non-Muslims until the US stops drone attacks in the remote tribal region of Pakistan.
The bombings raised new questions about the Pakistani government’s push to strike a peace deal with the militants to end a decade-long insurgency that has killed thousands of people.
‘They don’t want peace’
“What dialogue are we talking about? Peace with those who are killing innocent people,” asked the head of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, Paul Bhatti, whose brother, a federal minister, was gunned down by an Islamic extremist in 2011.
“They don’t want dialogue,” said Bhatti. “They don’t want peace.”
The death toll yesterday climbed to 85, after seven more of the wounded in Peshawar died, according to the commissioner of Peshawar, Sahibzada Anees.
“Our state and our intelligence agencies are so weak that anybody can kill anyone anytime. It is a shame,” said Bhatti.
Angry Christians blocked roads around the country to protest the bombings.
On one of the main roads coming into the capital of Islamabad, demonstrators burned tires and demanded government protection for the members of the Christian minority.
In the southern port city of Karachi, a few hundred demonstrators chanted “Stop killing Christians!” and demanded that those who attacked their community be held accountable.
“We want an end to extremism, terrorism and barbarianism in Pakistan,” said Bashir John, a priest.
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