ICC Note: After a third attack in five months on Christians in Quetta, a Pakistani archbishop is calling for prayer. Two Christian men were killed, and three injured, after motorcyclists shot at a gathering near a church in Quetta’s Essa Nagri neighborhood. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks. Along with prayer, the archbishop has called for increased police protection.

04/21/2018 Pakistan (ICN) – A leading Pakistan bishop has appealed for prayer after Christians in Quetta suffered their third attack in five months.

Two Christian men – named as Rashid Khalid and Azhar Iqbal – and three others were injured after four attackers on motorbikes started shooting at people near a church in Quetta’s Essa Nagri Christian neighbourhood. The attack, last Sunday (15th April), came nearly two weeks after a family of four Catholics from Lahore were gunned down outside a relative’s house during an Easter visit to the city.

The dead – named as Parvaiz, Kamran, Tariq and Fordous – had reportedly just stepped outside to buy ice cream when they were targeted.

According to a missionary group in Pakistan, the attackers left a pamphlet at the scene of the crime describing the killing as “the first episode of genocide against Christians”.

Daesh (ISIS) claimed responsibility for both attacks.

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