[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 21407]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



        EXTENDING CONDOLENCES TO FAMILIES OF MURDERED PAKISTANIS

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer condolences to the 
families of the 16 Pakistanis brutally murdered on Sunday as they 
worshipped in their church in Pakistan. Barbaric criminals burst into 
the church, locked the doors behind them and started firing guns into 
the worshippers. These twisted terrorists then continued to pump 
bullets into toddlers and women who lay wounded and dying in a pile on 
the floor of the church.
  To the families of those killed, please know that our hearts and 
prayers are with you in this time of suffering and mourning.
  In the midst of the important battles against terrorists and the 
Taliban, our Nation must also continue to stand with those around the 
world whose fundamental rights are violated at the hands of extremists 
in their communities. The danger faced by Christians and other 
religious and ethnic minorities in Pakistan cannot be overestimated, 
particularly in this time.
  I commend President Musharraf for his unequivocal condemnation of 
this tragedy and his pursuit of the murderers, and urge him to do all 
in his power to ensure that this does not happen again and that they 
bring these criminals to justice.

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