ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan has strongly condemned the mass shootings at two Mosques in Christchurch, a City in Zealand’s South Island, causing multiple casualties, the Dispatch News Desk (DND) news agency reported.
Several people were killed when a gunman opened fire in two Mosques in Christchurch City on Friday morning, which has been described as “one of New Zealand’s darkest days” by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
The Bangladesh Cricket Team was in the vicinity of the shooting, as it had to play the third Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval starting on Saturday, but all members were safe.
Now Bangladesh’s tour of New Zealand has been called off following the attack on Christchurch Mosques. The Team was en route to the Mosque for Friday Prayers at the time of the attack but escaped to the nearby Hagley Oval.
“We can confirm there have been a number of fatalities. We cannot at this stage confirm the precise number but it is significant,” the New Zealand Police said.
Meanwhile in a statement, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi have condemned in the strongest terms the tragic terrorist attack in Christchurch.
They expressed condolences over loss of innocent lives in the heinous attack.
Shocked and strongly condemn the Christchurch, New Zealand, terrorist attack on mosques. This reaffirms what we have always maintained: that terrorism does not have a religion. Prayers go to the victims and their families.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 15, 2019
I blame these increasing terror attacks on the current Islamophobia post-9/11 where Islam & 1.3 bn Muslims have collectively been blamed for any act of terror by a Muslim. This has been done deliberately to also demonize legitimate Muslim political struggles. https://t.co/5bBREoayLz
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 15, 2019
The Pakistan Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also tweeted that “Shocked and grieved on news of multiple attacks at two mosques in Christchurch New Zealand, hearts and soul of people of Pakistan are with people of New Zealand, Bangladesh Cricket Team escaped the attack; Pakistan suffered same situation years back and can feel and relate to the pain and misery.”
