At least 16 dead in Pakistani church shooting.

Image

October 28, 2001. BAHAWALPUR, Pakistan (CNN) -- A group of bearded men on motorcycles opened fire on a Sunday morning church service, killing at least 16 people, including a police officer, officials said. At least five others were critically inju

bodies.jpg
The Rev. Jim Nuttle, a Catholic priest at the church where the shooting happened, said about 50 people were in the church when the attack began at the end of the first service at 9 a.m local time. The men rode up on motorcycles and shot a police officer who was a church security guard, Nuttle said. The men then stormed the church and began "shooting indiscriminately with automatic weapons," he said. Many people were able to escape. "They were in the church for a full five minutes. ... They left as quickly as they came; they left a great deal of carnage in the church -- people dead, dying," Nuttle said. The priest for the Church of Pakistan, which was having services at the time of the incident, was not in the church when the shooting began. Nuttle said many believe the shooting was in retaliation for the bombing in neighboring Afghanistan. An investigation is under way to determine who is responsible. Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, has sent two federal ministers to Bahawalpur -- about 230 miles (370 kilometers) southwest. to express condolences to the families. Musharraf said he blamed terrorists for the attack. "The method used and the inhumane tactics employed clearly indicate involvement of trained terrorists of organizations bent upon creating discord and disharmony in Pakistan, where Christians and Muslims have always lived in peace with mutual respect for each other," Musharraf said. He gave his assurances that justice would be served. "I shall not comment any further on the identity of the terrorists until the investigation is concluded," Musharraf said. "I would however like to assure everyone that we should track down the culprits and bring them to justice." Nuttle noted that this type of violence was rare in Pakistan. Funeral services for the victims were planned for Sunday evening, he said.

You May Also Like

Image

Sacred Heart shows path forward in AI era, Pope Francis says in new encyclical

Vatican City: (By AC Wimmer for CNA)  In the document, the pope argues that the spirituality of the Sacred Heart offers a vital response

Image

Sindhi patriots, with help of progressives, brave mullah threats, government ban to walk for tolerance. By Ahmar Mustikhan

Karachi: “Zia Lanjar are you Ziaul Haq,” social and environmental activist Masood Lohar said, expressing his disgust over how the Sindh

Image

Dreaded spy service I.S.I will now hire, fire government officials in Balochistan. By Ahmar Mustikhan

Quetta: An infamous spy service accused of thousands of extrajudicial killings, carrying out a kill and dump policy and burying Baloch demanding se



"Trial of Pakistani Christian Nation" By Nazir S Bhatti

On demand of our readers, I have decided to release E-Book version of "Trial of Pakistani Christian Nation" on website of PCP which can also be viewed on website of Pakistan Christian Congress www.pakistanchristiancongress.org . You can read chapter wise by clicking tab on left handside of PDF format of E-Book.

nazirbhattipcc@aol.com , pakistanchristianpost@yahoo.com