UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Monday strongly condemned the terrorist attacks on two churches in Pakistan and called on the government to bring the perpetrators to justice while ensuring that religious minorities are protected.
The secretary-general noted with “grave concern” the Pakistani Taliban’s claim of responsibility for Sunday’s bombings on the churches and its “threats to carry out more attacks in the future,” UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said.
“He calls on the government of Pakistan to swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice and to do its utmost to prevent attacks against places of worship and protect religious minorities,” Haq said.
US CONDEMNS:
Moreover, the US has condemned the Taliban suicide attacks on two churches in Pakistan’s Lahore city and said the right to practice religion freely is a basic human right.
“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,” State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki said.
“The United States stands in solidarity with the people and Government of Pakistan in confronting this type of extremist violence,” she said.
“We support the right of every person to practice religion without fear of intimidation, death, coercion, or any form of reprisal. This is a basic human right both in Pakistan and throughout the world,” Psaki said.
TURKEY CONDEMNS:
Turkey has also strongly condemned a recent deadly attack on two churches in Pakistan’s northeastern city of Lahore.
“We strongly condemn this atrocious attack that targets the stability and peace of Pakistan, and we wish God’s mercy on those who lost their lives, convey our sympathies to their families and wish for speedy recovery of the wounded,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday.
SRI LANKA CONDEMNS:
Furthermore, Sri Lanka condemned “in strongest possible terms” the deadly suicide attacks targeting Christians at two churches in Pakistan.
The foreign ministry here said that the “dastardly act against a religious congregation engaged in the practice and sustenance of their faith and spiritual upliftment is not only an attack against a group and places of worship but against humanity and the civilised world”.
“Sri Lanka as a country which has suffered from the scourge of terrorism for more than 30 years shares the grief and pain of the people of Pakistan at this moment of distress,” it said.
