How will Pakistan deal with religious tension?
At least 70 people were killed in a suicide attack in Lahore on Sunday.
Christian families were celebrating Easter in a popular park in the Pakistani city of Lahore when a suicide bomber blew himself up.
It was planned to cause maximum loss of life.
Many Pakistanis have unfortunately grown used to these kinds of attacks, particularly in the northwest, where the military has been fighting armed groups for years.
But Sunday’s attack was different: The armed group that’s responsible, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, says Pakistan’s Christian minority was the intended target.
It is part of a number of recent sectarian attacks that are becoming more common in Pakistan.
Much of the violence is being directed either at Christians or other minority sects within Islam.
The army says its launching a paramilitary operation to go after those responsible for the attack.
While, in the capital, Islamabad, thousands of angry protesters have been demanding stricter enforcement of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.
So, where does Pakistan go from here?
Presenter: Dareen Abughaida
Guests:
Tom Hussain – Pakistan security specialist and Asia-Pacific Editor of The World Weekly.
Bina Shah – Writer and author of the book A Season For Martyrs.
Omar Waraich – Journalist who has covered Pakistani politics and blasphemy laws.