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Following bomb attacks on two churches in Lahore, Pakistan, the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has condemned the violence against people and communities on the basis of their religious identity, and has called upon the Pakistani government to act swiftly in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
The suicide bomb attacks on 15 March left at least 15 people dead and more than 70 injured, according to early media reports.
“The tragic loss of life from these deplorable acts of violence targeting the Christian community in Pakistan reveals once again the tremendous challenges and heavy sacrifice Christians bear as they strive to remain faithful to the gospel values of life, justice and peace,” said the WCC general secretary in his letter sent to the WCC member churches in the country.
“Further, these attacks demonstrate the worsening situation for religious freedom, human rights and dignity in Pakistan,” he added.
Tveit went on to say that while the attacks themselves did not target a congregation from the Church of Pakistan (WCC member church) – the continued violence against Christians in Pakistan is a cause of concern as they are targeted through many similar attacks, including the suicide bombing in a church in Peshawar in 2013.
Tveit called upon the government to put in place more robust measures to protect the Christian and other minority communities in Pakistan, to prevent similar acts of violence in the future, and to ensure freedom of religion and all fundamental human rights for all people in Pakistan.
Read full text of the WCC general secretary’s letter
