At least 35 dead, 100 wounded in suicide bombings in Pakistan

From The National Post

LAHORE, Pakistan — Three suicide bombers struck a Sufi shrine in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on Thursday, killing at least 35 people and wounding more than 100, officials said, the second major attack in the city in a month.

Hundreds of devotees were visiting the shrine of the Persian Sufi saint, Syed Ali Hajwairi, commonly known as Data Gunj Bakhsh, in the heart of the city when the attacks occurred. Muslims in Pakistan visit shrines and mosques in large numbers on Thursday nights and Friday.

“Dead bodies are scattered all over the courtyard of the shrine,” Reuters photographer Mohsin Raza said from the scene. “There is blood everywhere. Two of the dead were my friends. It’s very horrifying,” he said in a choked voice.

One of the attackers blew himself up at the gate of the sprawling, marble shrine while two other attacks took place in the basement of the shrine where people were washing for prayers.

Khursro Pervez, a senior government official, said at least 35 people were killed and 125 wounded.

Militants linked to al Qaeda and the Taliban have unleashed a wave of attacks across Pakistan in revenge for military offensives in their bastions in the northwest of the country near the Afghan border.

While most of the reprisal militant attacks have taken place in the northwest, militants have also stepped up attacks in the heartland of the country, mainly the central province of Punjab. Lahore is the capital of Punjab.

Officials have blamed attacks on the “Punjabi Taliban”, a term used for militants drawn from Punjab who have joined ranks with Taliban in the northwest.

More than 80 people were killed in twin attacks on the mosques of the minority Ahmadi sect in May.

The shrine at Data Darbar is one of the most famous in Pakistan, attracting hundreds of devotees every night, with Thursdays being the most popular nights. The complex includes a mosque and a police station in the basement.

Farahnaz Ispahani, spokeswoman for President Asif Ali Zardari, condemned the attack. “This sickening poison of extremism will be driven out of our nation and we will not be cowed.”

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said the attack on the shrine showed that “terrorists have no consideration for any religion, faith and belief.”

© Thomson-Reuters 2010

2 Replies to “At least 35 dead, 100 wounded in suicide bombings in Pakistan”

  1. Are we going to see condemnation at the UN (United Arabs and Dunked-in-Camel-Dung Arab-Sandal Lickers)? Goldstone reports? Anatolian Arab PM Recep Erdoclown’s head explode as it (not he) barks its lungs off over this?

    When mahoundians kill mahoundians, since this has always been part of mahoundianism, it’s just part of their normal daily routine… So I guess we ought to expect the usually hypocritical “nothing to see here, move along” over yet another deadly mahoundian-on-mahoundian act of violence.

  2. The fools even kill each other in the name of god and the prophet. Even when one of them wins an argument or a discussion he really looses , the looser comes back and kills him.