PAKISTAN: Number of deaths in Pakistan church attack rises to 56, the wounded are rushed to hospital for treatment

Record ID: 353951

  • Title: PAKISTAN: Number of deaths in Pakistan church attack rises to 56, the wounded are rushed to hospital for treatment
  • Date: 22nd September 2013
  • Summary: WOMEN CRYING (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) WITNESS, PETER MASIH, SAYING : "We were praying in church and in middle of prayers this blast took place. Too many people have lost their lives. It (the blast) killed mostly women and children"
  • Embargoed: 7th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Pakistan
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVA20VOUVQLDLAQLU8PD61ZFAYWL
  • Story Text: The number of deaths in an attack on a church in the Pakistani city of Peshwar on Sunday (September 22) rose to 56 as medical staff rushed to treat the wounded.
    A pair of suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the church located in a densely populated area near a market after mass.
    More than 600 parishioners were inside the church for the service.

    "We were praying in church and in middle of prayers this blast took place. Too many people have lost their lives. It (the blast) killed mostly women and children," said witness Peter Masih.
    The attack on Sunday is the deadliest sectarian attack since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was sworn in in June.
    Christians make up about four percent of Pakistan's population of 180 million and tend to keep a low profile in a country where Sunni Muslim militants frequently bomb targets they see as heretical, including Christians, Sufis and Shi'ites.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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