Suicide bombers killed atlest 14 people and wounded nearly 80 during Sunday Church services

The explosions occurred in quick succession in the Christian neighborhood while parishioners were worshiping at Sunday morning services inside. The churches are about 600 meters (650 yards) apart.The Bomb blast killed at lest 14 people and wounded nearly 80 during Sunday services,the provincial director general of health, who gave the death toll and witnesses said quick action by a security guard prevented many more deaths.

A Pakistani Taliban splinter group claimed responsibility.The suicide
bombers detonated themselves near two churches in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Sunday as worshipers were gathered inside.Area hospitals were flooded with casualties and scenes of mourning. Shaheen Bibi's 10-year-old son Abhishak was among those killed.

"My son had gone to the church to pray for a good result in his examinations," Bibi said as she cried and struck her head against the chest of a relative. "He wanted me to sew him some new clothes if he passed his examinations."
                                   
Life in Pakistan is increasingly dangerous for religious minorities, especially Christians. They have been targeted by extremist Sunni Muslim militants and are also discriminated against in the wider society, where they are often limited to menial jobs like garbage collection.

Witnesses said the bombers targeted a crowded gate when a large group of worshipers was waiting to enter one of the churches.

"One bomber exploded himself near that gate, that created chaos and during the course of that, there was another blast," one unidentified witness told Pakistan's Geo television.
                                                     
                                    
After the blasts, the mood among survivors quickly turned violent. Much of the country is already on edge after years of militant violence including an attack on a Peshawar school in December that killed 150 people — mostly students.

The angry crowd attacked two people they thought were connected to the attack, and, later, burned them to death while others attacked buses in the city, said deputy inspector general of police Haider Ashraf. Two police officers who were protecting the churches were also killed in the explosions, which Ashraf confirmed were caused by suicide bombers.