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Christians protest at bomb attack on north-west church

Christians block roads around Pakistan as the death toll rises to 85

Pakistani Christians took to the streets in protest at the bombing of a church on Sunday.

A pair of suicide bombers staged the country's worst-ever attack on the religious minority outside a church in the north-west.

The death toll has climbed to 85 after seven more of the wounded in Peshawar died earlier today.

Christians blocked roads around the country in response.

On a main road in the capital Islamabad, demonstrators burned tyres and called on the government to protect Christians.

"Our people have been killed. Nobody seems to bother about us. No-one apprehended the killers," said protester Aqeel Masih.

Hundreds of demonstrators in Karachi chanted: "Stop killing Christians" and demanded that those who attacked their community be held accountable.

Christian leader Nasir Gill said missionary schools around the country would be closed for three days.

Sixty-eight of the Peshawar victims were buried on Sunday and the rest would be buried tomorrow, he said.

The bombings raised new questions about the Pakistani government's push to strike a peace deal to end a decade-long conflict that has killed thousands of people.

"What dialogue are we talking about? Peace with those who are killing innocent people?" asked All Pakistan Minorities Alliance head Paul Bhatti, whose brother was shot in 2011.

"They don't want dialogue," said Mr Bhatti. "They don't want peace.

"Our state and our intelligence agencies are so weak that anybody can kill anyone anytime. It is shameful."

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