Church blast: 10 out of 56 said to be in critical condition

  Last Updated On 23 September,2013 About 48 minutes ago

The death toll from twin suicide bombing rose to 81 today.

PESHAWAR (Dunya News) -  At least 56 people including 25 women injured in Peshawar church blast yesterday (Sunday) are being treated in Lady Reading Hospital where the condition of 10 is reportedly critical.
Relatives of patients have complained that the hospital staff was not providing them with basic facilities of treatment. They are bound to purchase medicines from private medical stores who sell medicine at high rates.
The attack on All Saints church in the northwestern city of Peshawar after a service on Sunday, claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban s group Junood ul-Hifsa, is believed to be the deadliest ever to target Pakistan s small Christian minority.
"We carried out the suicide bombings at Peshawar church and will continue to strike foreigners and non-Muslims until drone attacks stop," Ahmad Marwat, a spokesman for the group, told AFP by telephone.
Doctor Arshad Javed of the city s main Lady Reading hospital told AFP the death toll had risen to 81 overnight, including 37 women. A total of 131 people were wounded.
Christians demonstrated in cities around Pakistan, including Karachi and Faisalabad, to protest against the violence and demand better protection from the authorities.
In Islamabad more than 100 protesters blocked a major city highway for several hours during the Monday morning rush hour, causing long tailbacks.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the "cruel" attack, saying it violated the tenets of Islam.
Pope Francis also spoke out against the violence, calling it "a bad choice of hatred and war", while Pakistan s Ulema Council, an association of leading Muslim scholars, branded the attack "shameful".
Former minister for inter-faith harmony Paul Bhatti and provincial lawmaker Fredrich Azeem Ghauri both said the attack was the deadliest ever targeting Christians in Pakistan.