Vandals attack another church in Pakistan, two arrested

LAHORE: A group of armed assailants has vandalised a church and beat six persons including the pastor in Pakistan's Punjab province, the second such incident in the last four days.

The incident took place in Chakwal city, some 275 kilometers from here yesterday.

A group of armed men attacked the church after being instigated by a local cleric, an eyewitness Javed Masih said.

Two persons have been arrested by the police.

"The assailants beat Pastor Suhail Masih and five other Christians present in the church and vandalised it," he said, adding the attackers managed to flee when police reached the spot.

The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital where their condition is stated to be out of danger.

Pastor Masih told the police that Tariq Bhatti, an influential person of the area, accused him and some other Christians of preaching Christianity to Muslims.

"He accused us of trying to convert Muslim youth into Christians," he said.

Meanwhile, the Christian community today held a demonstration in the Chakwal city demanding arrest of culprits and registration of the FIR under terrorism charges.

They asked the PML-N government to provide security to the church and give exemplary punishment to those involved in this heinous crime.

On Sunday, an angry mob had looted several houses belonging to Christians and attempted to torch a church in Sanda area after a Christian youth allegedly committed blasphemy.

At least 40 people, including a cleric and religious party leader, were arrested and another 500 booked on terrorism charges in this connection.