18 Christians killed Assailants spray bullets in Pak church
Islamabad, October 28
Eighteen persons were killed when masked gunmen sprayed bullets on a Sunday congregation at a church in Bahawalpur in south Punjab.
The gunmen, who came on motor cycles, entered the church after killing a policeman standing guard and started firing indiscriminately.
Fourteen persons were killed on the spot while three others died in the hospital before they could be attended upon. Several others who were injured were admitted to hospital.
At the time of the attack, there were 70 persons in the prayer hall. Eyewitness said, six persons came on three motor cycles to the church. While two stood outside, four entered the prayer hall and sprayed the bullets. The gunmen were chanting slogans like “Allah-u-Akbar” and “Graveyard of Christians — Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
The killings of the Christians shocked the people of Bahawalpur who rushed to the church in large numbers. No one has been arrested.
The police described it as an act of terrorism.