Disaster response: Lahore bombing

A powerful bomb blast rocked Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore on Easter Sunday evening. The blast is believed to have killed over 60 people and to have injured over 200 local police have said.

In Pakistan Christians have a long running tradition of celebrating as a family at local park fun fairs after their morning devotions. This practice has never been a secret and after the Lahore Twin Church bomb attack took a low death toll due to the tight voluntary security workforces at both churches, a pernicious Taliban splinter group targeted Christian women and children at a popular Easter venue at Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park. The bomb that was packed full of ball bearings was set of near the children's area with intent to pick off the most vulnerable of visitors to the park. A large number of families, especially women and children, were present when the blast took place Many of these are believed to be Christians as it is a common tradition for families to go to a local funfair to celebrate the birth of Christ after their Easter devotions.

The British Pakistani Christian Association has initiated an immediate disaster recovery and calls for as much help as can as be given as number of fatalities and casualties are increasing by the hour. Donations will be used to support victims with funeral costs, medical fees, rehabilitation of those injured, trauma counselling and restoration of families who will have lost a main bread-winner or will be laid of work for some time. Details of how to donate can be found by clicking (here). The BCPA's petition can be signed here (click here).

Casualties have been taken to local hospitals including Lahore General Hospital which does not have a special burns unit. It is believed the attack took place during the celebrations of Easter in an attempt to target Christians. Distraught family members have gathered outside local hospitals and the government has announced a three day mourning period. Read full story (click here).

Also see the BCPA's story on the BBC documentary 'Thailand's Asylum Crackdown,'. Chris Rogers has been undercover in Thailand to expose how the country treats its asylum seekers. Pakistani Christians fleeing extremist violence are among the second largest group of asylum seekers in Thailand. Many are routinely rounded up and sent indefinitely to immigration detention centres or locked up in jails. Their crime: to be seeking asylum, in a country which does not recognise refugees. Wilson Chowdhry Chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association helped Chris Rogers, and organised direct contact with victims being helped by the BPCA. Read full story and watch video (click here).

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Ooberfuse ft Archbishop Warda of Iraq - We Are One.