Pakistan's Sharif condemns blast outside Peshawar church

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today condemned the bomb blast outside a church in Peshawar that killed at least 25 people, including children.

Sharif said terrorists have no religion and targeting innocent people is against the teachings of Islam and all religions.

He added such cruel acts of terrorism reflect the brutality and inhumane mind set of the terrorists.

The Prime Minister expressed solidarity with the minority community and deeply sympathised with the bereaved family and prayed for the early recovery of those injured in the blast, an official statement said.

He also expressed deep sorrow and shock. Former President Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the blasts, saying it should "open the eyes of those who still believe in appeasing the militants". The militants "cannot be appeased, they must not be", he said.

"Our values, our way of life and our very survival is threatened by the militants. This threat cannot be wished away, it has to be fought back with courage, conviction and resoluteness of the entire nation," he said in a statement.

Zardari said no words were strong enough to condemn the barbaric and cruel attack on peaceful citizens professing a faith different from that of the majority and whose only fault was that they were offering their prayers.

The former President also prayed for those who lost their lives, expressed sympathies with bereaved families and prayed for early recovery of the injured.

His spokesperson Farhatullah Babar visited the church as well as the families of some of the victims to express solidarity.

Speaking on the occasion he said the new provincial government had promised change through dialogue and appeasing the militants, the statement said.

"Is the blowing up innocent worshippers including women and children inside the church in a densely populated city centre is the promised change," he asked. The people must reject this change and they will, he said.