KARACHI, Pakistan: A Catholic priest has lost six relatives in twin blasts in Pakistan’s commercial capital that left at least 33 people dead and wounded scores of others, many critically.

More than a thousand Christians attended the funeral of the six Catholics who died in the Feb. 5 bomb explosions in Karachi, capital of Sindh province.

A total of eight Christians and one Hindu were among the dead, most of whom were members of the minority Shi’ite Muslim community. Police believe Saudi militant Osama bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda group is involved.

The first blast targeted a minibus transporting people to a religious procession. Within two hours, another explosion occurred in the parking area of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where the dead and injured from the first blast were being transported to.

Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has described the Karachi attacks as incidents of “sectarian violence.” The Shia Ulema Council has announced three days of mourning.

Father Tariq Rehmat, assistant parish priest of St. Jude’s parish, lost six close relatives including his sister. “One of my nieces delivered a beautiful baby at that hospital the same day. My sister went to greet and celebrate the joyful moment along with her husband and kids. But things got ugly due to terrorism in city,” Father Rehmat recalled with tears in his eyes.

News channels aired the funeral of the six Catholics at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Condolences offered to priest

Archbishop Evarist Pinto of Karachi celebrated the Mass with 37 priests including Father Rehmat. The coffins of the blast victims were brought inside the cathedral building just before the distribution of Holy Communion. Several mourners wearing black armbands expressed their condolences to Father Rehmat after the funeral.

Father Pascal Robert, chairman of Idara Amn-o-Insaf (committee for justice and peace), expressed shock at the bombings. “The incident shows that no one is safe in such circumstances. We demand the president and prime minister provide protection to the people of this country,” the Franciscan priest told media outside the cathedral.

Presently, 55 people, including one Christian and two Hindus, are being treated in hospital. The president and prime minister have condemned the blasts while the Sindh provincial chief minister has announced compensation of 500,000 rupees (US$5,910) for the relatives of those killed, and 100,000 rupees for each injured person.

Speaking to UCA News, Father Arthur Charles, Karachi archdiocese’s vicar general said, “This is the first time terrorists have targeted a hospital and bomb survivors. It seems that they have sunk to the depths of inhumanity and lost the respect for life. One cannot imagine the things they are taught,” he said.

Courtesy: UCAN