Sunday, 28 October, 2001, 06:51 GMT (BBC World News)

Christians shot dead in Pakistan

BBC World News - 15 Chris tians shot dead in Pakistan

Unidentified gunmen on motorcycles have shot dead at least 15 Christians in Pakistan.

Dozens more are reported injured.

The attack took place during a service attended by over 100 people at a Roman Catholic church in the eastern town of Bahawalpur.

"Around nine this morning, six people on two motorcycles stormed into the church and they sprayed bullets indiscriminately on people inside the church," police officer Mohammad Khalid told the French news agency AFP.

This is reported to be the first such attack on Christians in the area, near the border with India.

No one has so far said they carried out the attack.