On Easter Sunday at least 70 people were murdered and more than 340 injured when a suicide bomber targeted Christians celebrating in Lahore, Pakistan.

The sound of the explosion was heard several kilometers away and eyewitnesses said there were big crowds in the area because of the Easter celebrations. More than 200 Christian children & women were injured in the attack and 32 were killed.

The attack did not come as a surprise to Pakistani Christians who have been suffering for years because of their religion.

Pakistani Taliban’s Jamat-ul-Ahrar faction claimed responsibility for the bombing, declaring that Christians had been targeted.

Eyewitness Shabana told CLAAS that two blue shopping bags laid unclaimed near the main gate, and may have been the cause of the explosion.

Sohail Habel, from CLAAS, was at Mayo Hospital to facilitate people claiming dead bodies.

On March 28, 2016 the day of their funerals, the smell of smouldering rubbish in the graveyard was temporarily masked by the incense and perfumed flowers laid on the graves of the victims of the bombing.

CLAAS team, led by Mr. Joseph Francis, attended the funerals of three of the deceased – Waqar Pervaiz, Sharoon Masih and Matahir Javed.  The team visited the victims’ families to express their solidarity.

Many Christians have accused the government of not doing enough to protect them, saying politicians are quick to offer condolences after an attack but slow to take any real steps to improve security.