Christian schools and colleges shut for three days in Pakistan

All schools and colleges run by Christians in Pakistan would be closed for three days from today.

The entire Christian community there is startled over the Saturday violence that claimed the lives of nine Christians and injured dozen others. In addition, 50 houses and two churches were burned after the alleged desecration of Koran.

"We are closing the schools to show our anger and concern," Bishop Sadiq Daniel told The Associated Press. "We want the government to bring all perpetrators of the crime to justice." The schools closed for summer vacations were supposed to reopen on Monday.

Saleem Michael, an official of the Catholic Board of Education in Karachi, says the strike is to mourn the death of innocent people in Gojra. The board that controls over 62 schools where around 50,000 students are enrolled announced that its schools would be "closed for three days".

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), meanwhile, has condemned the violence and termed it 'frightening'. The preliminary investigation has clearly vindicated Christians and said the blasphemy charges were rumours spread by Muslim extremists.

The attackers, according to eyewitnesses, burnt everything belonging to Christians, including clothes, food, utensils, Bibles and even the livestock.

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah confirmed that a crackdown was launched and 100 people have been arrested. Some of them are members of a banned Islamic group.

The law minister also verified the allegation of desecration of Koran and said initial reports have denied any of such happening.

The attack has come barely a month after a mob attacked 100 Christian houses in Punjab province's Kasur district