MARDAN:23 September : A mob of several hundred people protesting the making of an anti-Islam film in the US attacked a church compound in Mardan on Youm-e-Ishq-e-Rasool (PBUH) on Friday.

The mob attacked and set on fire St Paul’s Sarhadi Church, St Paul’s High School, a library, a computer laboratory and houses of four clergymen – Rt Rev Bishop Peter Majeed, Pastor Chand Masih, Pastor Ghulam Shad and Ms Shamshad, the principal of the school.

The mob also damaged and set alight the moveable property, including a car and three motorcycles.

Zeeshan Chand, son of Rev Chand, was beaten up by the protesters and had to be hospitalised.

According to Rev Binyameen Barkat, the treasurer of the Northern Diocese, Church of Pakistan, “We were under threats of such attacks since last week and had requested the local administration to provide security to the church property, which they did. However, it was not enough to stop the aggressive armed men.”

Attackers brought kerosene oil, guns and sculls. They damaged the door, windows and stoned the church.

“We immediately called fire brigades, however, the mob stoned and did not allow fire fighters to enter the church compound,” Barkat said. pr.Daily Times.