TWO STORY POST - Several killed in failed Pakistan jail break/Christians clash with police in Pakistan

Two suicide bombers have attacked a judicial compound in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, killing four people and taking hostages, officials said.

One suicide bomber blew himself up outside the crowded complex on Monday, causing the deaths, said Information Minister Mian Iftikhar.
The other attacker entered the complex in an apparent bid to storm into a jail and release fighters held there.

He took hostages and was later shot dead by security forces, Iftikhar said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the operation. Police forces sealed off roads around the complex.

Taliban fighters, who are close to al-Qaeda, are fighting to topple Pakistan's US-backed government. They have targeted the military, security forces and civilians.

Peshawar has been a constant target of bomb and Taliban attacks because of its location along a semi-autonomous tribal belt.

The tribal belt is considered a safe haven for Taliban and other armed groups fighting both in Pakistan and across the border in Afghanistan.

More than 250 people have been killed in attacks since January 10.

Christians clash with police in Pakistan 

Hundreds of Christians in Pakistan protesting against the burning of their homes by a mob over alleged blasphemous remarks made against Prophet Muhammad have clashed with police in at least two cities.

Police fired tear gas canisters and used batons to disperse almost a thousand demonstrators who had gathered in Karachi and Lahore, and took six protesters into custody.

In Lahore, hundreds of protesters, some carrying large crucifixes, blocked a main highway as they pressed their demands for better compensation payments from the government following the destruction of their homes, police official Malik Awais said.

Smaller demonstrations were held in the capital, Islamabad, and the adjoining city of Rawalpindi.

The protesters called on Pakistan's government to better protect minorities.

Local Christian pastor Khalid Masih said it was "quite clear that [the] government of Pakistan has failed to protect the rights of the minorities."

Arrests

Police in Lahore said that they had arrested around 150 people accused of setting the Christian homes on fire after a non-Muslim was accused on Friday of making offensive comments about Prophet Muhammad.

On Saturday, a group of Muslims burned about 170 houses in the Christian neighbourhood of Lahore.

Police said that those accused of rioting are being investigated for alleged arson, robbery, theft and terrorism.

Christians are often the target of Pakistan's harsh blasphemy laws, which rights activists say are frequently used to persecute religious minorities or settle personal disputes.

Politicians have been reluctant to reform the laws for fear of being attacked by religious groups, as has happened in the past.

Police usually make arrests following rioting in blasphemy cases to calm down public anger and most of those detained are never convicted.

According to Human Rights Watch, there are at least 16 people on death row for blasphemy and another 20 are serving life sentences.

Two prominent politicians were assassinated in 2011 for urging reform of the law.