Lahore in grip of violent riots on second day

LAHORE: Thousands of Christians rioted in Lahore and other major cities on Monday, smashing property and vehicles on the second day of protests against the twin Taliban suicide attacks on churches that left 17 dead.
About 52 of those injured in the twin blasts have been discharged while 17 injured are still under treatment. Injured Khushi Masih succumbed to his injuries on Monday, bringing the death toll to 17.
Protesters again turned violent on the second day, despite the presence of 1,000 policemen, who deployed water cannons in an effort to contain the rampaging crowds.Muhammad Usman, a senior bureaucrat, said the paramilitary Rangers were called in to try to restore peace.
Demonstrators expressed their anger at the killings, many arming themselves with clubs while others carried giant crosses as they took to the streets of Youhanabad on Monday.
“We are on the roads to get justice, we want protection,” said Maqbool Bhatti, a 50-year-old government employee who criticised the authorities for failing to take adequate security measures to safeguard the Christians.
“There was no proper security on Sunday, the government should protect all churches,” he said.Christian volunteers meanwhile established their own security check-points, tying ropes across the roads leading into Youhanabad and patting down worshippers who had come to offer prayers for the dead ahead of funerals planned for Tuesday.
Some carried placards with slogans such as “Why do you killsecurity check-points, tying ropes across the roads leading into Youhanabad and patting down worshippers who had come to offer prayers for the dead ahead of funerals planned for Tuesday.
Some carried placards with slogans such as “Why do you kill us?”, “Stop killing Christians,” and “Let us live”.Protests were also held in Karachi, while special prayers were planned at churches throughout the country and Christian groups and members of civil society held candle-lit vigils.
Christians, who make up around two percent of Pakistan´s population of 180 million, have been targeted recent years.Sunday’s attacks were the worst on the community since a devastating double suicide-bombing in the northwestern city of Peshawar in September 2013 killed 82 people.
That came months after more than 3,000 Muslim protesters torched some 100 houses as they rampaged through Joseph Colony, another Christian neighbourhood of Lahore, following blasphemy allegations against a Christian man.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said the Taliban had turned their attention on places of worship and other “soft targets” because ongoing military operations had hampered their ability to fight the army.
“Due to military operation the noose has been tightening aroundmilitants and now it has significantly contained them,” he told a committee.“They are now hitting the softest targets like churches, mosques and schools. It shows their frustration.”
One of the two lynched men has been identified as Muhammad Naeem, a resident of Lalyani, Kasur. His brother Saleem reached Nishar Colony Police Station along with his pictures and lodged an application against his lynching. Saleem told reporters that Naeem worked as a glasscutter in Youhannabad.
He was employee of Azeem Aluminum Glasswork. Saleem further said the victim had contacted his sister before the attack and told that he would reach home after some time. The victim’s brother also met with senior police officers and demanded immediate justice.
Nobody approached police for the identification of second person who was also set ablaze. Police have yet to register FIR over the lynching of two men including Naeem. Two more person was killed and 12 injured after they were run over by a speeding car that was attempting to flee the riots.Police spokeswoman Nabila Ghazanfar said a female suspect had been detained in connection with the incident.
TV channels footage showed chaotic scenes at Ferozpur Road where a black car ran over protestors killing two people and injuring six others.Protests turned violent in different cities including Lahore and Gujranwala. Angry crowd in Youhanabad threw rocks at passing cars, smashing their windows.
Metro Bus service was suspended when angry protestors armed with clubs blocked main Ferozpur Road. Some of the protestors hurled stones and empty bottles on civilians and subjected them to torture.A heavy contingent of policemen arrived at the scene and baton-charged the protestors to control the situation.
Protest demonstrations were also held near Canal Road, Gulberg, Bund Road, Bhatta Chowk and other areas.In Gujranwala, protestors blocked Bypass Chowk and held rallies in Francis Abad, Awan Chowk and Sheranwala Bagh. Some were also seen looting a vehicle loaded with beverages while nearby shops were forcefully closed.
Angry mob also gathered at Chanda Qilla Bypass and smashed windows of several vehicles.About 15 protestors were detained for damaging public property in Gujranwala.In Karachi, National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) on strongly condemned the Lahore church blast incidents.
Addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club, Rev Fr Saleh Diego Director NCJP said it is becoming a routine to attack minorities and their worship places. He said the government has completely failed to provide protection to minorities.
He said all the missionary schools were closed for showing solidarity with the bereaved families.He appealed to the government to form a task force for protection of sacred places of minorities.
A large number of people belonging to minorities held a protest demonstration outside the KPC. Carrying placards and banners, they raised slogans against the rulers.Punjab government spokesman Syed Zaeem Qadri said the violent protesters, who were damaging public and private properties following the tragic incident in Lahore, would be dealt with strictly.
“Holding peaceful protest is a fundamental right of every citizen but causing damage to others in the name of demonstration will not be tolerated,” he said while talking to a private new channel.
Regretting over the violent protests, Qadri said the provincial government had showed maximum restraint in dealing with the protesters and want to tackle the situation amicably. He said negotiations with the leaders of Christian community were underway.
Replying to a question, the spokesman said some miscreants were trying to take benefit of the situation and fulfilling their nefarious designs.Principal Post Graduate Medical Institute and Lahore General Hospital Prof Anjum Habib Vohra along with Medical Superintendent Dr Saeed Sobhan and other doctors inquired after the injured one by one and directed the staff to provide them all possible medical facilities.
While talking to the media, Prof Vohra said a staff nurse of LGH Ambareen Mukhtar along with her husband died in the tragic incident of Youhanabad Church bomb blasts. He said Ambareen was a dutiful and kind-hearted nurse and all her colleagues and co-workers were very upset upon her death. He said doctors, nurses and paramedical staff of the Lahore General Hospital were serving the injured of bomb blasts with dedication and devotion day and night in accordance with the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif.
Hundreds of Christians including women and children took out peaceful rallies in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial, Pasrur, Badiana, Chawinda and surrounding areas during the light rainy weather to lodge their protest.
The protesting Christians were wearing black arm bandages, besides carrying banners and placards. They chanted anti-terrorism slogans.
They marched on all the main roads, demanding special security for their lives and properties across the country.
Minorities MPA Zulfiqar Ghauri urged the protesting Christian to remain peaceful and not to take law and order in their hands.
Christian protestors blocked roads in Lahore, including those going to Raiwind, where the premier’s residence is located to protest against twin Taliban suicide bombings of churches.
Earlier, it was said the premier cancelled his flight to Gojra owing to bad weather conditions. However, the prime minister’s staff told media he cancelled his visit due to the protests.
“The protesting community blocked roads near his Jati Umra Raiwind residence which caused his absence,” a senior National Highway Authority (NHA) official was quoted as saying by a private news channel.
Acting Punjab Governor Rana Iqbal had to inaugurate the motorway in the premier’s absence.Further, it is reported, the Christian community in Gojra had also announced to protest on the prime minister’s arrival. “We spent Rs3 million to arrange the inauguration ceremony but it has gone to waste as PM Nawaz could not reach,” the official added.The 236-kilometer Multan-Faisalabad Motorway will connect South Punjab with Islamabad.
Later in the day, dissenting Christians also surrounded former Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah’s car when he arrived in Faisalabad to hear their concerns. The protesters did not allow the former minister get out of his car.