2 killed, 18 injured in Karachi blast
The blast had occurred when a bus was passing by the area. Passengers on board were on their way to participate in a rally on MA Jinnah Road.
"A low-intensity bomb planted near a bus stand in Gulistan-e-Jauhar neighbourhood exploded and hit a car and a bus," senior police official Shahid Hayat told AFP.
"The bomb killed a man in the car and injured 11 others, most of whom were bus passengers," Hayat said.
All of the injured were shifted to Jinnah hospital where doctors declared that most of them are in serious condition.
Dr Seemin Jamali, the Director of Emergency Services at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) stated that two injured who were in critical condition have been shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
There is no confirmation on the nature of the blast as yet. The Express News correspondent has reported that ball bearings had pierced through the arms, legs and chests of the passengers.
Initial reports stated that the passengers were students of Imamia Students Organisation (ISO) who were headed to the rally. More than 20 people were on board.
The Youm-e-Quds rally was scheduled to begin from Numaish Chowrangi and conclude at Tibet Centre.
The bus was partially destroyed as a result of the blast. A Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) sub-station located outside Safari Park was also damaged in the blast.
Other participants of the rally at the blast site are being sent off in buses.
"We can't say it was aimed at the bus as the bomb mainly hit the car. But we are investigating," said a police official on the condition of anonymity.
Law enforcement agencies arrived and started conducting investigations.
Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah sought a report from the Inspector General (IG) of Police.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Javed Maher said that an additional contingent of police was deployed at the blast site.
Participants at the rally site staged a protest and chanted slogans against the incident.
The protesters said that proper security was not provided to the participants despite bus routes being known.
A protester said that it was a "conspiracy of the United States and Israel" and declared that the rally will be carried out as scheduled.
According to Express News, Youm-e-Quds is being observed and many rallies are being taken out in this regard. The rally is organised every year on the last Friday of Ramazan.
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@Peace Seeker: Considering Pak has Wahhabized since the 80's, rising anti-Shia bigotry and killings, with no mechanism to address discrimination & courts favouring extremists, and G-B with a non-Sunni or Shiite Muslim majority under-represented by Sunni-Deoband lawmakers federally, the anti-minority resentful claim of their hegemony is doubtful. Privileges have diminished since Shiite Jinnah's time. It recurs every year in the West. What differs is size, scope and management. Let's not hyperbole inconvenience with peace. Its for the most part non-violent regardless of how others dislike their presence or beliefs and most likely to raise tensions. Its claimed economic social activity does not stagnate, instead boosts, with such processions in Pak. There should be better management to avoid paralysis, because clearly it can be done right as seen elsewhere.
@Abid Khan:
If this unfortunate resigned fact is true, then clearly a ban is a weak excuse, as fanatics flourish. Priorities to achieve peace are confused, as what's necessary to do is not being done. One can identify them, LeJ/TTP/ASWJ, etc, and control them if they tried, as other countries do of their own groups (like Canada identifying Sunni Islamist extremists and thwarting the Toronto 18 and others. Of course, its easier with a smaller Muslim population), but the fertile environment, bad attitudes and policies in Pak has made it pitifully plagued in terrorism. Extremist ideologues have mingled among mainstream folks who fail to root them out along with the authorities, and other social issues, such as gun control, education, religiosity, law and order, national policies etc. I like to thank you for keeping this conversation civil despite our disagreements. Eid Mubarak.
@bigsaf: Hegemony of minority not of majority. Comparing such procession observances in the West is misleading. There they are rare (hardly a couple/year) and they do not paralyze entire cities. Here in Pakistan, you have a practical shut down all over the country for many days, recurring every year. This is not a right for peaceful assembly as you project as it is neither peaceful nor allows for activities of normal life. Even before terrorist targeting, which is no more than some thirty years old, if that, these procession have led to disturbance of peace many a time. It seems that the hegemony is of the minority not of the majority.
@Abid Khan:
Political rallies and union strikes ending violent is not uncommon in Pak. These religious processions are usually peaceful and don't spontaneously turn violent, except when attacked by Wahhabi/Salafi/Deoband/Sunni extremists, to justify their religious intolerant threatening demands to shut-down such processions, which some are willing to appease than rather crackdown on the terrorists, more fixated discussing the property damage than lost lives. Terrorists are not restricted and have targeted minorities at masjids, funerals, homes, etc, not to mention everyone at markets, hospitals, churches, shrines, hotels, police stations, schools, etc, but of course no one will ban them. So its not a both cause problems thing or a vicious cycle. There's an ideological monopoly and imposed hegemony of violence.
I'd understand a moratorium on such large visible functions, due to the massive terrorism in Pak and inability to protect, unlike in the West, but really this religious hate, fanaticism and bigoted intolerance oozing in hegemonic majority society, driving every minority underground, denying their rights to assemble peacefully, curbing their freedom, persecuting them to avoid confronting the fanatics, appeasing, if not agreeing with extremists who threaten violence, needs addressing. Its simply an easy cop out and superficial cosmetic solution that won't end the hate and violence.
Religious exhibitionism is also a form of religious extremism.
@Abid Khan: A bold denial, but you are mistaken as it is not rare and quite factual. Many public processions and protests take place here, including the recent Youm-e-Ali procession here in the GTA. There is a Julus taken out for Muharram in the middle of downtowns across N.America every year.
By this logic any pro-Palestinian rally held in the heart of downtown would be considered 'un-Islamic' (wonder what else is 'un-Islamic' and how far you'll take it) according to some businesses or different interest groups who are inconvenienced (but not really much, the same for the religious procession, as most recognize their right and freedom to gather).
Its right-wing Sunni talking points and excuses that resent any minority Shia activity. True, there's need for improved organization for better movement in Pak, but it really is untruthful hyperbole to claim everyone else is denied freedom. Why would you exempt disorganized political rallies then causing the same 'freedom' issues in Pak? Because it really does come down to religious intolerance. This really isn't about all religious groups or sects, because rarely is it ever suggested against other groups in such regards even when evidentially spouting inflammatory violent rhetoric, but only just the minority sect's freedom to gather peacefully specifically targeted in mind, without ever really addressing or taking action against the growing Wahhabi/Salafi/Deoband/Sunni extremist fanaticism growing in the country against them.
@bigsaf: "Such observances happen so peacefully in the West." This is factually a wrong statement. Religious processions are rare, if at all, they take place in the West. No Western nation allows regularly recurring religious processions, as that inconveniences the public. Creating annoyance by disturbing traffic and business activities amounts to causing "eeza" to the people in general and as such is unIslamic. Any freedom is subject to restraint as restraint is the necessary pre-requirement for freedom. Anyone should be free so long as he does not impinge on the freedom of others. Street demonstrations deny freedom of movement and freedom of carrying on the normal activities of life and as such freedom for some turns into denial of freedom for everyone. Therefore, these street activities are an unnecessary imposition and the denial of freedom. Thus, there is need to restrict them for all faiths and sects equally. Even, so I condemn any violence that threatens anyone, regardless. But do not provide a chance to fanatics to destroy peace and cause national disturbance.
There should be equal restriction for all for keeping religion out of streets. Use of loudspeakers is to be allowed for azan only. Try this and peace prospects would improve.
@Abid Khan:
But those who bomb and attack such religious observances are what? Friends of peace?
All for secularism...but with pluralism. Is being a conspicuous visible religious minority, that is not indulging in govt matters, but simply assembling out in the public street since Jinnah's time, really that threatening to a majority to justify to indulge in hate and violence. Such observances happen so peacefully in the West. Perhaps its those who are intolerant of such observances by the minority, who really are enemies of peace.
Eid will be observed as a period of mourning in karachi. All offices and shops and commercial establishments will be closed as a mark of respect for all the shias killed during this year.
Pakistan is seems to be failed state and this is what Jinnah never thought about otherwise he would never create Pakistan as muslim state where even muslims have no right to live with their beliefs and how we can justify the fact minorities like hindus migrating from Pakistan to India......this is not just failure of two nation theory even one nation cannot live together peacefully in the name of religion!!!!!!
@Just Manners: it was not a RELIGIOUS activity!it was a protest against the killings!are protests done at home mr JUST MANNERS????????????
@Just Manners: Its made up excuses for intolerant demands of twisted ideological Wahhabi/Salafi/Deoband/Sunni extremists. Religious hatred on loudspeakers is relatively rare by minority Shia practitioners, not even 'partly', compared to Sunni hate groups which advocate murder but are accepted as mainstream and face little condemnation or attack. Do loudspeakers contribute to terrorists bombing markets, bases, hotels, too? Even with supposed hate speech, again rare, it doesn't justify bombings, massacres and murders of innocents. Its hypocrisy and insanity. You're restricting and censoring only Shia presence simply because their controversial religious views, misconstrued as 'hate speech' by extremists or uncomfortable bigots, defies the hegemonic Sunni narrative. What religious hatred was spewed on a loudspeaker out by the Imamia students? Or at funerals, buses, hospitals, homes, etc? Excuses, excuses. Its not 2 equal sides. There are majority extremists indulging in sectarian cleansing and ideological terrorism and are remarkably ignored. Religious public flauntings happen in the West with freedom and security. Contrast the level of diversity and tolerance by the majority. Violence will not magically disappear by punishing the minority. The intolerance of some members of the majority who hold bigoted or prejudiced views needs to be addressed. Fantasy and justification of self-victimization due to some perceived or supposed religious hate speech to excuse every insane violent extremist crime in the present and future, will not fly.
@just manners Problem with you argument stays the same. If you stop the hate preachers, whose mosques and gatherings are almost never the ones bombed, the blasts and attacks will stop by no matter how many rallies are allowed in the name of religion. We have centuries of history of rallies in IndoPak region, especially in current India and generally in Pakistan where not only people frim all sects repsectedly took part in the proceedings but these rallies actually created interfaith harmony and interaction but also provided a huge platform from which to get inspiration for peace. Its not a coincidence that Gandhi's ideal for non violence happens ti be Imam Hussain. Now bring in the Bhutto and Zia rules in what is currently Pakistan and you will find why dictators, feudals and their foregin friends dont want the people of this country to be united. They know if they divide, they woyld rule. And just to antagonise this effort of these rascals, we should not follow what they would gladly like. Stopping hate preachers is important, not the POTENTIAL places that hate could be converted into action. Non-violence is the religion we should adopt now to fight injustice. And we need this fight NOW. its already too late.
Shias protesting Zionist occupation of Jerusalem, get slaughtered by the Taliban in Quetta. Welcome to Cannibal Republic of Pakistan. -- Nadeem F. Paracha (Quds rally bomb blast in quetta 2010)
Those who are against making religion a private matter and those who would continue to support conspicuous flaunting of religious observances are enemies of peace.
Israel and Jewish agent including Wahabi are responsible for the attack on Al-Quads rally coming from Safari Park to M. A. Jinnah road, Numiash.
they proofed that they are true and blind followers of Yazedi Pig, As in Pakistan Talban, sipa-e-sahab active and promoting their works to reach heaven but their right place to go all people who are the killers, supporters and remain silent observer ( do not take any notice )
@kanwal: History of blasts within compounds where religious gatherings are observed is partly a result of the use of loudspeakers that spew out religious hatred and it is not as old as riots, and killings that result from public religious demonstrations. Stop hateful speech and it would contribute to peace within compounds and outside of arenas. Stop public flaunting religious observances and it would also help peace. By all means have public political demonstrations and rallies but keep them strictly political.
@Just Manners Besides, thats exactly what they want. they want to have no powerful street presence of our people on the streets in Pakistan in any form. Fortunately or unfortunately, Shia brothers get the most prominence and thats why get the most hits. But just go and calculate the ratio of blasts inside enclosed spaces versus open spaces in the last ten years and you will know where the weakness of your argument lies. We are happy when the world' biggest demonstration against Iraq war takes place in London. But we ourselves are complete bigots and want to follow a way out which is not even a way out considering the statistics of bomb blasts.
Thank you Mr. Bhutto for bringing religion into politics.
@Just Manners: I agree that religious observence is restricted to places of worship. "With firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us finish the work we are in... to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves. "
@Just Manners: if the religious observence is restricted to places of worship, how it makes the terrorists civilized overnight and they dont attack us inside mosques?. The only solution is to get them before they get us. Thank you for your thoughts though but I dont think we are ready to surrender.
History shows that fanatics and miscreants on both side of the sectarian divide are looking for bloodshed and just wait for an opportunity. Religion-based public demonstrations are an ideal opportunity for causing reactionary bloodshed. In a country with such a divide, religion should be a private matter.
@aley: journalism
@Amima Sayeed: Youm e quds is given a sectarian twist. It should not have been the case. Restricting religious observances to places of worship, homes, and at places of work is the only way to ensure peace. If this is not done, violence will continue, and I am for stopping violence not matter what the cause. All those who sincerely believe in peace must restrict religious observance to places I have just cited or violence would continue to mar the Pakistani society. I condemn violence in the strongest terms, no matter what the cause, no matter who does it and to whom it is done to. So all please denounce violence.
@Just Manners: just as the drone attacks should be restricted to Afghanistan. Get life man.
blame Israel,and let jammati squad on street thats all
I think these Terrorists doesn't have any work other than putting Bombs and firing on innocent people.. :( Pakistan only introduced the Terrorism to the world. Now its the time to see the taste of their own ....!! I feel pity on Pakistan's Innocent people.:( Kindly ask Indian Govt. for any assistance required to make your country secured!!
Our security system is totally out of work! They should form special forces like FBI,SWAT etc.
@a pakistani nindu/muslim violence sadly is pretty common in India
@ Indian Wisdom: Considering the 'Breaking News' phenomenon that plagues our news agencies, many unverified facts may be put up to generate the maximum viewership.
Please stop this nonsense discussion of Shia Sunny. All victims are Pakistanis and human beings. Those forces, who have divided Pakistanis into different sects, ethnicity and castes are responsible for this situation. Divisions on these grounds were the reason that Sunni passengers of Babusar Buses did not help their Shia brothers.
@Amima Sayeed: yeah because you didn't have to suffer traffic jams and road closures near your home because of this so-called AL-QUDS rally... hate it when VIPs and this religious mafia demands treatment above the rest by crying out wolf...
@Just Manners: I totally and emphatically agree that ALL religious and semi-religious functions and engagements should be held within the compounds of places of worship. such functions and engagements should also be stripped of facility to use loudspeakers and amplifiers. Besides, political rallies and corner meetings in public pplaces should also be disallowed. Such rallies should be allowed to be held in big parks. All these religious, semi-religious and political rallies distub civic life and bring miseries including the loss of human lives. It is need of the time to mobilise public opinion to discourage religious rallies in public places.
I saw long time ago a TV news cast which showed relifious rallies in Indonesia being held inside a stadium. We should follow suit and ban all public rallies on roads/public places. Let's designate a place where such gathering and rallies could be held.
Using terrorism as a instrument of state policy can yield results like this only, its a double edged sword, think before sink.
Blame RAW?
@Just Manners: for once read history!!! Yom e Quds is to remember what was lost, the usurpation of land and the price Palestinians are still paying!!! If it were not for Shias, we wouldnt even know what Yom-ul-Quds is! Btw you sound like Rehman Malik who was advising Hazaras to stop travelling in buses to avoid casualties! Seriously? Just by putting on blinkers, you think all the problems will go away.
PS: I am not a Shia in case you'd dub me as suffering from persecution complex. I make the urban majority (from whichever angle you see) and I am ashamed at the non-chalant attitude of all the parha likhas in response to the genocide against religious minorities in Pakistan.
@M: "The Express News correspondent has reported that ball bearings had pierced through the arms, legs and chests of the passengers". These ball bearings must be from that very cylinder????
@ A Pakistani I totally agree with u, we were more safe with britishers
Seems like militants are celebrating independence day in their own pervert way!!!! Poor innocents are just numbers (how many killed and injured in a blast) for them. Only god knows what service they are doing to Islam by killing innocent people.
A Shia (Mr Jinnah) fought for Pakistan - a nation for Muslims! "Direct Action" day called by Mr Jinnah fuelled killings of Hindus and brought Birtish to agree that Hindus and Muslims can't live together.
However, even after creation of Pakistan, that urge for killing has not dissipated! Same sect of Mr Jinnah is now at receiving end!
What a "religion of peace"!
I live near safari park and em really scared after this blast has occurred near my home,i was passing by safari park just after the blast had happend, i was wondering that why there are so many ambulances every where, bcoz terrific sound of ambulance always make me frightened when eger i hear it, i got to know about blast as soon as i reached home and im thinking i could have been injured or killed too, em really upset about the law and order situation and now i know how it feels when u are the victim of an incident
Imran khan is hero of terrorists
The only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing
As per other news sources, the cause of the blast is a cylinder explosion and not an IED as reported by ET.
This is really very sad news !
Another terrorist activity by animals. How can one justify bombing masjids where muslims pray to Allah. Similarly this rally is being carried out to protest against oppressed muslims in Palestine, so i am confident one who did this blast is not a muslim whether he calls him such
This action clearly suggest that they at Israel side
How ET knows that the bus was carrying ISO students?
So this country has become a entertainment hub for those who wish to blast anywhere they want like in a video game or something?
Weren't we better off with the British? At least they did not kill us because of our religion.
PEW research says 40-50% Pakistanis think Shias are non Muslims. Sorry to say but partition only favored only some people. Bengal, Sindh, Balochistan and Pashtuns have suffered bad.
Religious activities should be restricted to places of worship and to homes and at the most to places of work.