ISLAMABAD, July 22: The Foreign Office condemned on Monday an attack on the shrine of Sayyeda Zainab in Syria and urged militants to respect the sanctity of holy places and called upon the government of the country to ensure their safety.

The charge d’affaires of Syria was called to the Foreign Office and “concerns of the government and people of Pakistan” over the attack on the shrine on the outskirts of Damascus were conveyed to him.

Mortar shells fired by insurgents struck the shrine on Friday, killing, among others, its caretaker Anas Romani.

“The government of Pakistan strongly condemns the deliberate and wanton attack on the holy sites, including the recent attack on Sayyeda Bibi Zainab’s shrine on July 19 in Damascus.

The trend of desecration of the holy sites has hurt the sentiments of Muslims in Pakistan as indeed the world over,” a Foreign Office statement said.

The Syrian government, which is fighting a raging insurgency since 2011, was asked to “ensure safety and security of all shrines”.

The protest came a day after Shia groups demonstrated outside the Foreign Office.

“Such violations, which also fan sectarian strife, are most reprehensible,” it said.

In a separate statement, President Asif Ali Zardari said that mortar strike was most “hurtful and despicable that could have been perpetrated only by the lowest and the meanest”.