ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Security of Churches in Pakistan is at high alert ahead of Christmas to battle any attempt of terrorists to target Christians during Christmas celebrations.
Yet with abundant feeling of happiness and excitement, the Christian Community across Pakistan has braced itself for Christmas Celebrations next week amid security concerns as last Sunday, nearly 40 of their fellow brethren fell victim to a suicide blast at a Church in Country’s restive Balochistan province.
The terrorists attack certainly raised eyebrows because it cost the lives of nine people and injuries to 30 further at Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, just a few days before Christmas was about to announce its advent to mark the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ (AS).
The annul religious festival will fall on Monday, and the Christian Community in Pakistan will Celebrate it with traditional enthusiasm.
But as jolted by Quetta Church attack, law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in Pakistan are ensuring full proof security arrangements across the Country on the eve of Christmas to avoid any further unfortunate and uncalled-for incident.
The Security has already been put on high alert in all major Cities including terror-stricken Quetta, Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar. Even for Christmas Eve, law enforcers have been directed to remain extra vigilant especially in and around Churches and all other places of worship.
The Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has also directed the administration to place security personal in plain clothes around places of worship for Christians.
In a statement, Shahbaz Sharif said that the Christian community is playing its role for the development of Pakistan. He said that the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees equal rights and complete safety and security to all minorities.
The Chief Minister also announced a three-month remission in the imprisonment of Christian prisoners on the occasion of Christmas.
The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Lahore Haider Ashraf told that every Church across the Punjab province will be monitored with CCTV Cameras as part of security measures.
It is worth mentioning here that on March 27 last year, a suicide bomber struck Lahore’s Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park where a large number of Christian families were Celebrating Easter, killing 72 people and leaving over 300 others wounded.
In Balochistan, 3,000 security personnel will be deployed on Sunday and Monday in and around 39 Churches, according to the Inspector General of Balochistan Police Moazzam Jah Ansari.
Moazzam Jah Ansari also told that as part of security measures, volunteers are also being imparted training to conduct body searches and identify worshippers entering Churches.
