A Christian church and its congregation were brutally attacked by around 20-armed Muslim hooligans during Sunday worship service.

The church was attacked on March 4 and dozens of men, women and children were hurt as the mob violently attacked them with large sticks.

Members of Pakistani Gospel Assembly (PGA) have expressed great fear and anxiety as they come to terms with the trauma of the unexpected attack in the district of Sahiwal.

Pastor Cecil Daniel had been leading the service at 9:30am but stopped proceedings to investigate loud noises at the back of the church.

When he went out into the courtyard he was shocked to see a large group of bearded Muslims trying to destroy the boundary wall of the church.

Most of the congregation had followed him and the women could be heard screaming in fear.

The young men of the church rushed to the wall to try and protect their building but this only angered the mob who were also yielding axes and bricks.

One worshipped used his mobile to call the local police and shouted out a warning to the Muslim combatants, however this did little calm them down. The men carried on with their assault but quickly fled once they heard a police siren.

On arrival the police took a note of the crime scene and eyewitness statements from the wounded Christians, they then helped the bleeding victims get to Civil Hospital Sahiwal.

The dispute is said to be a jealous response to the recent installation of a church boundary wall on land bequeathed to the church via a Mr George Masih.