Lahore church bombings

2015 Lahore church bombings
لاہور گرجہ گھر دھماکے

Location of Lahore in Punjab
Location Lahore, Pakistan
Coordinates 31°24′41″N 74°21′58″E / 31.411291°N 74.366078°E / 31.411291; 74.366078
Date 15 March 2015
Target Roman Catholic Church, Christ Church
Attack type
 Suicide bombings
Deaths 19
15[1]
2 policemen and 2 passers-by
Non-fatal injuries
 70[2][3]
Perpetrators Jamaat-ul-Ahrar[1]
Motive Retaliation against Operation Zarb-e-Azb

On 15 March 2015, two blasts took place at Roman Catholic Church and Christ Church during Sunday service at Youhanabad town of Lahore, Pakistan.[4] At least 15 people were killed and seventy were wounded in the attacks.[2][3]

The attack was followed by mob violence killing two men mistaken as militants.[4] It was the second attack on Christians minority after the deadliest attack in 2013 on All Saints church in Peshawar. In August 2015, Punjab home minister Shuja Khanzada announced that five members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban were arrested in connection to the attack. According to the statement, the men received monetary and material support from India and planned the attack in Afghanistan, from where they came to Lahore. The arrested men also confessed to planning further attacks in Karachi and Lahore.[5]

Background

The Pakistani Taliban operates as an umbrella organization for various Islamist militant groups in Pakistan. They actively target religious minorities for attacks,[6][7][8] including a series of attacks in 2002. In August 2002, three nurses died in a grenade attack on a chapel located on the grounds of the Taxila Christian Hospital,[9] in September 2002 seven charity workers were killed in Karachi[10] and on 25 December 2002 a grenade attack on a Presbyterian church killed three girls.[11][12] The September 2013 suicide attack on the historic All Saints Church in Peshawar killed 75 people.[13][14]

One of the Islamist militant groups allied to the Pakistani Taliban is Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway organisation that reunited in March 2015.[15][16] Jamaat-ul-Ahrar carried out the November 2014 Wagah border attack where over 60 people died and over 100 were injured,[17] and the same month killed at least six people in Mohmand Agency[18] and attacked the membership camp of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement party in Karachi.[19]

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar operate the Afia Siddiqui Brigade, named after Aafia Siddiqui,[20] which previously carried out 2012 attacks on a police van on the Peshawar Ring Road and on the Judicial Complex in Peshawar.[21]

Attack

According to reports, two suicide bombers attacked the churches located in a Christian locality. The bombings took place during weekly Christian service at the two churches of Yuhanabad neighbourhood located at a distance of half a kilometre apart.

The bombers targeted two churches, Saint John Catholic Church and Christ Church at around 11:00 am local time. Both churches are located in the Youhanabad area, which is one of the country's biggest Christian localities and is home to least one million people.[22]

The bombers tried to enter the churches but were stopped at the gate by the guards, where they blew themselves up. The high number of casualties was due to the fact that weekly service was underway when the attacks occurred.[3] The wounded were rushed to the General Hospital, where a state of emergency was declared at 12:21 pm.[23] The explosions caused a stampede at the Church as worshipers ran to save their lives. Windowpanes were broken due to the explosions.

Responsibility

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar a splinter group of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, which had reconciled with and rejoined the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan earlier the same month[24] claimed responsibility for the attacks.[1]

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan used his Afghan mobile number to contact the media in Pakistan. He said, "We have carried out the attack. We have reached Lahore, the center of Punjab province, which is a challenge and a warning to the rulers,".[25] He said that the group of suicide bombers who carried out the attack belonged to the Aafia Siddiqui Brigade.[23] In August 2015, Punjab home minister Shuja Khanzada announced that five people were arrested in connection with the attack. According to Khanzada, they belonged to the TTP's Shehryar Mehsud group and planned the attacks inside Afghanistan, from where they came to Lahore. According to the statement, the arrested suspects received monetary and material support from India. They also confessed to planning more attacks in Karachi and Lahore.[5]

Aftermath

The attacks ignited protests which continued for the next three days.During the most violent of these protests two men were lynched on the same day as the attacks. The next day paramilitary personnel had to be deployed in order to maintain law and order. The victims were laid to rest on 17 March amid tight security and several thousand police and rangers personnel were deployed in Lahore during the last rites.[26]

Politicians, religious leaders and members of the civil society condemned the attacks, while calling for stricter security measures. However, the lynching by the mob was also condemned and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan termed it as "the worst kind of terrorism".[27][28]

The second leg of the FIFA World Cup qualifier match between Pakistan and Yemen was to be played in Lahore but FIFA first gave the go-ahead for the match saying that it could be played behind closed doors but later a statement issued by the governing body cited "safety and security reasons" for the postponement of the match and said that the Asian Zone first round second leg tie will be played in a neutral venue.[29][30] A subsequent statement by FIFA said that the match will played in Manama, Bahrain.[31]

Protests

After the attack up to 4,000 Christians gathered at the attack site, formed a mob and blocked Ferozepur road. The angry mob attacked a nearby Metro bus station.[3] Water cannons were dispatched to help police clear the area. However, the mob took three policemen hostage and refused to talk with Ports and Shipping Minister Kamran Michael, who had arrived to console them. The mob captured and lynched two men suspected of being involved in the attacks.[23] Christian community in Faisalabad city also protested against the attacks.[32] Members of the Christian community in Karachi took to the streets and protested at Esa Nagri area against the bomb attacks. They blocked the route from Hassan Square to Liaquatabad area of the city. Similar protests were staged in Multan, Gujranwala, Sialkot and other cities of Pakistan.[3][33]

The next day up to 5,000 Christians gathered to protest but protests again turned violent as two people were killed and at least six were injured when a van ran over the protesters. Shamim Masih, chief reporter for the British Pakistani Christian Association claimed that four Christians were shot by police and six more were killed by Muslims who attacked those protesting in Youhanabad.[34][35]

Lynching

The angry mob lynched two persons whom they suspected. One of the lynched men was identified as Muhammad Naeem by his brother Muhammad Saleem who filed an FIR of a murder case against the protesters. He claimed that his brother was innocent, he further stated that his brother was not a militant.[36] He was missing and when they went to hospital they came to know that he was one of those lynched. He said his brother was a glasscutter and they owned a glass shop and his brother had gone there for their work.[37]

The second victim was identified as Babar Noman, a garment worker who had come from Sargodha in search of employment at a factory. The police buried the victims body on 17 March but a court ordered the exhumation of the body once the victims family lodged a complaint. However, the authorities have stated that the body will not be handed over before a DNA test is used to prove his identity.[38]

Reaction

Domestic reaction

Government

A spokesman for the Punjab province government condemned the attacks and said authorities are reinforcing security at the 481 remaining churches across the city. The Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif condemned the attacks and commented that killing someone on the basis of suspicion is inhumane. No one has the right to take the law into their hands.[37]

The Balochistan Provincial assembly condemned the suicide attacks and lynching of two men by an angry Christian mob.[39]

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also condemned the attack.[23] Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan condemned terrorist attacks on churches and said those who had done this did not belong to any religion because no religion tolerates such odious crimes. He also said that action would be taken against those who burnt two people alive and damaged public and private properties.[40][41]

Religious groups

The Catholic Church of Pakistan strongly condemned the suicide bombings and urged all Pakistanis to stand with their fellow Christians against extremists. Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference urged the nation's provincial and federal governments to take effective measures to provide security to the churches of Pakistan, so as to guarantee freedom of religion and worship. The church also appealed to the Christian community to avoid violence and co-operate with the police in their investigations. The Catholic bishops said that they prayed to their Lord for the health of the injured and to grant grace to the families who lost their loved ones.[42]

Muslim scholars hailing from different schools of thought condemned the attack and termed it un-Islamic. Muftis of Sunni Ittehad Council said that Islam did not permit attacks on the worship places of religious minorities. A Muslim state was responsible for the protection of minorities. They also urged Islamic scholars to define the rights of minorities in Islam.[43] Pakistan Ulema Council leader Tahir Ashrafi said, 'It seems like a conspiracy to ignite communal violence in the country. I appeal to all Pakistanis to stand united against this act of terrorism'.[44] Jamaat Ahle Hadith Pakistan and Milli Majlis Shari also condemned the attack and urged the religious scholars to play their role against terrorism.[45]

International reaction

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Deadly blasts hit Pakistan churches in Lahore". BBC News. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Worshippers killed in Pakistan church bombings". Al Jazeera. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Imran Gabol; Nadeem Haider; Waseem Riaz, Abbas Haider, Akbar Ali (15 March 2015). "15 killed in Taliban attack on Lahore churches". Dawn. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Two blasts at Lahore churches claim 15 lives - PAKISTAN - geo.tv". geo.tv. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Two Youhanabad Church attack suspects arrested, claims Punjab home minister". Express Tribune. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  6. ↑ "After the Malala Yousafzai shooting, can shock therapy free Pakistan?". Ibnlive.in.com. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
  7. ↑ "The Problem Of Pakistan". Ibtimes.com. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
  8. ↑ "Pakistan should be on the genocide watch list: US think tank". Indiatoday.intoday.in. 2012-09-26. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
  9. ↑ "Nurses killed in attack on Christian hospital". The Telegraph. 9 Aug 2002.
  10. ↑ "Gunmen kill seven christian charity workers" The Independent, 25 September 2002
  11. ↑ "# girls died in attack on Chrsitian church in Pakistan". Earlychurchofjesus.org. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
  12. ↑ New York Times: "Suicide Attack at Christian Church in Pakistan Kills Dozens" by ISMAIL KHAN and SALMAN MASOOD 22 September 2013
  13. ↑ "Orders fresh probe into church attack SC rues poor investigation in sensitive cases | Newspaper". Dawn.Com. 2010-12-24. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
  14. ↑ "Six Killed in Anti-Christian Attack in Karachi". English.peopledaily.com.cn. 2002-09-25. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
  15. ↑ "Pakistan Taliban faction announce split, new leader". Agence France-Presse. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "Pakistani splinter group rejoins Taliban amid fears of isolation". Reuters. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  17. ↑ Farooq, Umar; Shah, Zahir; Riaz, Wasim. "TTP splinter groups claim Wagah attack; 60 dead". Retrieved 19 March 2015. At least 60 people were killed on Sunday in a blast near the Wagah border, the responsibility of which was claimed separately by the outlawed Jundullah and TTP-affiliated Jamaat-ul-Ahrar outfits
  18. ↑ Sherazi, Zahir (7 November 2014). "Twin blasts kill at least six people in Mohmand".
  19. ↑ "Jamaatul Ahrar claims responsibility for attack on MQM camp". http://www.geo.tv/. Retrieved 19 March 2015. Splinter group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jamaatul Ahrar, has claimed responsibility for the attack on the membership camp of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Orangi Town area of Karachi. External link in |website= (help)
  20. ↑ "Why is Aafia Siddiqui 'Lady Al Qaeda' the world's most wanted woman?". http://metronews.ca/. Retrieved 19 March 2015. In Pakistan, a group of militants calling itself the Aafia Siddiqui Brigade has attacked government facilities in order to avenge what they see as her wrongful incarceration. External link in |website= (help)
  21. ↑ Mir, Amir. "The rise of TTP's Aafia Siddiqui Brigade". http://www.thenews.com.pk/. The Pakistani authorities investigating the March 18 fidayeen attack on the Judicial Complex in Peshawar which killed four people and injured 50-plus others have reported to the Ministry of Interior that it was the second act of terrorism which has been attributed to the Aafia Siddiqui Brigade. The first act was the March 20, 2012 bombing of a police van on the Peshawar Ring Road which had killed two policemen. External link in |website= (help)
  22. ↑ "Lahore church blasts: Taliban attacks kill 15, enraged residents lynch two suspects". Zee News. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  23. 1 2 3 4 Rana Tanveer; Tahir Khan (15 March 2015). "14 dead, 75 injured in attack on Lahore's Christian community". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  24. ↑ Katharine Houreld; Saud Mehsud (12 March 2015). "Pakistani splinter group rejoins Taliban amid fears of isolation". Reuters. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  25. ↑ "15 killed, 80 injured in twin blasts in Lahore's Christian locality; two suspects lynched". Hindustan Times. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  26. ↑ "Pakistan Christians hold funerals for church blast victims". BBC. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  27. ↑ "Rizvi condemns attack on Lahore Churches, slams Taliban". Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  28. ↑ Khan, Azam (18 March 2015). "Church attacks: Nisar calls Lahore lynching 'worst kind of terrorism'". Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  29. ↑ "FIFA postpones Pakistan World Cup qualifier match after Lahore bombings". http://newsone.tv/. Retrieved 19 March 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  30. ↑ "Pakistan-Yemen tie switched from Lahore to Bahrain". http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/. Retrieved 19 March 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  31. ↑ "Pakistan 2018 FIFA World Cup tie switched from Lahore to Bahrain". http://ibnlive.in.com/. Retrieved 19 March 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  32. ↑ "لاہور: چرچ کے گیٹ پر دو خودکش دھماکے، کم از کم 15 ہلاک". BBC Urdu. 15 March 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  33. ↑ Agencies. "Stop killing our Christian brothers". Dawn. Pakistan.
  34. ↑ "Two killed as car runs over Church attack protesters". http://nation.com.pk/. The Nation. Retrieved 19 March 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  35. ↑ Okonkwo, Oge (16 March 2015). "Protest over church bombings turns violent, 10 more Christians killed". Pulse.ng. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  36. ↑ Yasif, Rana. "Lahore church attacks: My brother was not a militant, says brother of lynched victim". tribune. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  37. 1 2 "Lahore lynching victim identified as local glass cutter". Dawn. Pakistan.
  38. ↑ Riaz, Waseem (18 March 2015). "Second Lahore lynching victim identified as garment worker". Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  39. ↑ Amanullah Kasi. "PA condemns church attacks, lynching of two men". Dawn. Pakistan.
  40. ↑ Iftikhar A. Khan. "Action to be taken over lynching: Nisar". Dawn. Pakistan.
  41. ↑ "Terrorists now trying to persecute easy targets, says Chaudhry Nisar". The News International, Pakistan. 16 March 2015.
  42. ↑ "Pakistan Church condemns Lahore church bombings". radiovaticana.va.
  43. ↑ "Un-Islamic act: Ulema condemn attack on Lahore churches". The Express Tribune.
  44. ↑ "Ulema Council curses attack on Christians". The Nation.
  45. ↑ "PAKISTAN Muslim leaders condemn Lahore church attacks". Asia News.
  46. ↑ AP – Reuters (15 March 2015). "Pope calls for an end to persecution of Pakistani Christians". DAWN. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  47. ↑ "Pope calls for end to persecution of Christians in Pakistan". The Express Tribune.
  48. ↑ The Newspaper's Correspondent. "US reiterates offer to help Pakistan fight extremists". Dawn. Pakistan.
  49. ↑ "US Condemns Church Attacks in Lahore". NDTV.com.
  50. ↑ "Urgent: UN chief slams terrorist attacks on churches in Pakistan". globalpost. Xinhua News Agency. 16 March 2015.
  51. ↑ "World condemns attacks on Lahore churches". Retrieved 19 March 2015. Turkey has also strongly condemned a recent deadly attack on two churches in Pakistan’s northeastern city of Lahore. “We strongly condemn this atrocious attack that targets the stability and peace of Pakistan, and we wish God’s mercy on those who lost their lives, convey our sympathies to their families and wish for speedy recovery of the wounded,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday.
  52. ↑ "Sri Lanka condemns Pak church attacks". Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  53. ↑ "China condemns Pakistan church attacks". business standard. IANS. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
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