Two Christians shot dead outside Pak court over 'blasphemy'

Lahore, July 20 (ANI): In an incident which highlights the total collapse of security and the rule of law in Pakistan, two Christian brothers, who were accused of distributing 'blasphemous' pamphlets, were shot dead outside a court in Faisalabad.

According to reports, two unidentified gunmen shot dead Pastor Rashid Emmanuel and his brother Sajjad, and also left their police escort critically wounded, as they were leaving the court after a hearing .

"Both brothers were rushed to hospital where they were pronounced dead," The Daily Times quoted a local official, as saying.

Both Emmanuel and Rashid were arrested earlier this month along with some others on charges of igniting religious hatred by distributing sacrilegious pamphlets.

A senior church official in Faisalabad, James Aftab, said that the men had been "implicated in a fake case."

Federal Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti blamed the local mosques in Faislabad for the attack on the two brothers.

"I personally don't think that anyone who wrote blasphemous things would put their names on the bottom," Bhatti said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has taken serious note of the incident and directed Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take all steps to ensure the safety of minorities in Faislabad and maintain law and order in the city. (ANI)