Islamabad: The twin suicide bombings Sunday at a church in Peshawar which claimed 81 lives and injured more than 100 have sparked strong protests across Pakistan.
Members of the Christian community took to the streets demanding stern action against the perpetrators of the deadly act and urged the government to provide protection to the country`s christian population, the Dawn newspaper reported Monday.
The city of Peshawar witnessed large-scale protests, some of which turned violent.
The Christian community also held demonstrations in parts of Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Hyderabad and Quetta, the report said.
Enraged protesters in Peshawar placed the bodies of the blast victims on roads.
Police vehicles were also torched by the angry mob forcing the security personnel to use teargas.
The relatives of the victims also protested outside the city`s Lady Reading Hospital, where the injured were taken Sunday, breaking windowpanes of the hospital.
They protested against the shortage of beds and absence of doctors. Some of the them said that many people died because of the hospital`s negligence.
In Karachi, members of the Christian community held protests in several residential areas, the Dawn report said.
In Quetta, protesters held demonstrations against the government, saying the authorities had failed to protect citizens against terrorism.
Protesters also blocked traffic in parts of Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan Gujranwala and Rahimyar Khan.
The provincial government, Bishop Churches of Pakistan and several political parties have announced three days of mourning to condemn the blasts.
IANS
