FM expresses condolences to Sri Lankan PM on deadly attacks
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi telephoned the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe to express his deepest condolences on behalf of Prime Minister Imran Khan and the people of Pakistan in the wake of terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka.
During the telephonic conversations, the foreign minister conveyed sympathies for the families that lost their loved ones in the tragedy and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
FM Qureshi stressed that Pakistan fully understands the pain of their Sri Lankan brethren.
The minister said that Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and completely understands the trauma and agony suffered by the people of Sri Lanka today.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said being a victim of prolong terrorism itself Pakistan stands with Sri Lanka in its difficult hour. He also extended Pakistan's all out help and support to the Government and people of Sri Lanka in this moment of tragedy.
Media reported 25 people were also killed in an attack on an evangelical church in Batticaloa in Eastern Province.
The three hotels hit were the Shangri-La Colombo, Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo and the Cinnamon Grand Colombo. It was unclear whether there were any casualties in the hotels.
Nine foreigners were among the dead, the officials said. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attacks in a country which was at war for decades with Tamil separatists until 2009 during which bomb blasts in the capital were common.
Christian groups say they have faced increasing intimidation from some extremist Buddhist monks in recent years. And last year, there were clashes between the majority Sinhalese Buddhist community and minority Muslims, with some hardline Buddhist groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam.
185 dead, more than 500 injured in attacks on Sri Lankan churches, hotels
Earlier today, Easter Day bomb blasts at three Sri Lankan churches and three luxury hotels killed at least 185 people and wounded more than 500, hospital and police officials said, following a lull in major attacks since the end of the civil war 10 years ago.
More than 50 people were killed in St. Sebastian’s gothic-style Catholic church in Katuwapitiya, north of Colombo, a police official told Reuters, with pictures showing bodies on the ground, blood on the pews and a destroyed roof.