Gunmen have attacked Christians in Pakistan, killing one woman and injuring 17, according to reports reaching Release International.

A gang armed with guns and wooden clubs attacked a Presbyterian church and Christian homes in Sangowali Village District, Gujranwala, in north-east Pakistan. They killed 35-year-old Shakeela Masih and injured others. Three are still in hospital with head and back wounds.

Partners of Release International, which serves persecuted Christians worldwide, say the attack took place on March 2. They describe attackers opening fire on a Presbyterian church and bursting into Christian homes, attacking the families.

18-year-old Rafaila Masih described the attack in which her mother was killed:

"We were at home. All of sudden, the doors burst open and Muslim men carrying weapons and wooden rods rushed in. One of the attackers hit my mother repeatedly with a weapon on her head. She fell to the ground. She died in my arms."

Shakeela had two daughters and a young son, Sharoon. "My mother died helplessly," he told Sharing Life Ministries Pakistan (SLMP).

Shakeela’s husband, Manzoor Masih, described his wife’s death as "an irreparable loss".

The minority Christian community of some 45 families live in a mainly Muslim area.

It took police 30 minutes to get through to the families because of the heavy gunfire. By the time police arrived the gunmen had left Shakeela dead and 17 others wounded.

Release International CEO Andy Dipper said, "Please pray for Manzoor and his family, and for the Christians in this area. Pray that they will be able to obey Christ’s call to love their enemies and that peace and justice will prevail."

The attack followed a police complaint the previous week by a young Christian man, Imran Masih. He said he had been beaten and robbed of his mobile phone. 20-year-old Imran was also injured in the subsequent attack on March 2.

Two Christian men remain in hospital with head injuries, and an 80-year-old widow is still undergoing treatment for injuries to her head and back. Naziran Bibi is said to be in severe pain.

Assist News Service reports claims by a Christian pastor that a group blocked the road leading to the hospital to try to prevent the injured Christians from receiving treatment. Pastor Patras claimed police vehicles had to be brought in to ferry the injured to hospital. He described the situation as "very tense".

Christian neighbours are helping the families, as are Release International’s partners in Pakistan, who will also be providing legal support.

According to press reports, the attackers also destroyed Bibles and prayer books in the Presbyterian church and tore down the cross from the roof.

AsiaNews describes the attack as the latest in "a long list of violent events now being seen in Punjab and in the North West Frontier Province".

While many of the attacks have been initiated by the Taliban the fashion for violence seems to be spreading.

Press reports say the Taliban blew up 16 DVD and CD stores in North West Frontier Province on March 5. Imran, whose mugging sparked this latest incident, had been employed at a shop selling CDs – a symbol of decadence to extremists.

Through its international network of missions, Release International serves persecuted Christians in 30 countries around the world by supporting pastors and Christian prisoners, and their families; supplying Christian literature and Bibles; and working for justice.