US reiterates offer to help Pakistan fight extremists

Published March 17, 2015
The US strongly condemned the latest attack near two churches in Lahore, reiterated its offer to help Pakistan.—AFP/File
The US strongly condemned the latest attack near two churches in Lahore, reiterated its offer to help Pakistan.—AFP/File

WASHINGTON: The United States strongly condemned on Monday the latest attack near two churches in Lahore and reiterated its offer to help Pakistan deal with militancy.

Leaders of the Pakistani Christian community in the United States also condemned the attack and urged the government to provide complete protection to all places of worship in the country, particularly those of religious minorities.

“We strongly condemn Sunday’s attack on innocent people at two churches in Lahore, and we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims,” US State Department’s spokesperson Jen Psaki said at a briefing in Washington.

Also read: Religious minorities feel insecure in the country, NA told

She said the United States “stands in solidarity with the people and government of Pakistan” in confronting this type of extremist violence.

“We support the right of every person to practise religion without fear of intimidation, death, coercion or any form of reprisal,” she said. “This is a basic human right both in Pakistan and throughout the world”.

Anjum Bhatti, a Pakistani Christian leader in the United States, said that the extremists had been targeting churches across Pakistan for more than a decade and yet the government had not taken any concrete step to protect them. “Blood mixes with religion in mosques and churches of Pakistan,” obser­ved another Pakistani Chris­tian leader Victor V. Gill.

He stressed the need to educate the majority community on international human rights, particularly on the freedom to worship.

Pakistan Christians in the United States are planning to hold a large demonstration in the US capital to highlight the sufferings of religious minorities in the country of their origin.

“Unless they accept that as Pakistani citizens the minorities have equal rights, things will not change,” Mr Bhatti said.

Published in Dawn March 17th , 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Opinion

Editorial

Kabul visit
Updated 26 Mar, 2025

Kabul visit

Islamabad should continue to emphasise that presence of terrorists on Afghan soil stands in the way of normal commercial ties.
Drought warning
26 Mar, 2025

Drought warning

DRIVEN by rising temperatures linked to climate change, increasing drought events across Pakistan have affected tens...
Deadly roads
26 Mar, 2025

Deadly roads

DESPITE daytime restrictions on heavy vehicles, Karachi continues to witness one horrific traffic accident after...
Shortcut tactics
Updated 25 Mar, 2025

Shortcut tactics

IMF’s decision to veto move to reduce retail power tariffs seems to be against interests of middle-class consumers.
Unforced error
Updated 25 Mar, 2025

Unforced error

State must not push ordinary citizens away with its excesses when dealing with Balochistan.
Losing again
25 Mar, 2025

Losing again

WHEN Pakistan’s high-risk Twenty20 approach did not work, there was no fallback plan and they collapsed in a heap...