Balochistan

Suicide attack in Quetta kills 55

A suicide attack on a procession at Meezan Chowk in Quetta has killed 45 people and left over 100 injured.

Express/ali Syed September 03, 2010

QUETTA: A suicide attack on an Al-Quds day procession of the Imamia Student Organisation (ISO) at Meezan Chowk in Quetta on Friday killed 55 people and injured over 100 others.

The casualty figure is expected to rise due to the intensity of the explosion as around 2,500 people were present in the rally.

According to Express 24/7 correspondent Muhammad Kazim, it is not yet clear whether it was a suicide attack or a planted bomb. The fire brigade reached the area and are trying to extinguish the fire, while ambulances have moved several injured to Combined Military Hospital, Quetta District Hospital and Civil Hospital.

An Express News cameraman, a Dawn News cameraman and a Geo News cameraman were also injured in the explosion.

There were also reports of aerial firing by the police in the area, as angry protesters hampered police access to the spot.

This event came two days after the triple blasts in Lahore at the Yaum-i-Shahadat Ali (RA) procession that killed 37 people and injured hundreds.

This is also the third incident of terrorism today, the first being the blast in Mardan followed by an explosion in Peshawar.

Al-Quds Day is an annual event on the last Friday of Ramadan,expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people and opposing Zionism as well as Israel's control of Jerusalem.

The Balochistan Shia conference has announced 40 days of mourning for those who died in the blast.

Al-Quds rally in Karachi

The Al Quds rally that held in Karachi went on peacefully on Friday. Security was extremely tight in the city and all entry and exit points were to the rally were blocked .

Along with the Police and the Rangers ISO officials were also carrying out the checking of the people present.

According to Express 24/7 correspondant Sheheryar Mirza, the procession that started from Mazar-i-Quaid and reached its destination at Tibet center, comprised of thousands of participatants.

The security was tightened in the wake of the Lahore blast as well as the firing incident in Karachi that occurred on the Yaum-i-Shahadat Ali (RA).

COMMENTS (46)

Aslam Khan | 14 years ago | Reply lets be fair to all. 1. this was a grue some act by the suicide bomber. the sponcers are surely the residents of hell. none can dare call such shameful act as islamic. 2. our shia brothers are requested to be pragmatic. the security situation in the country is so bad. why should they expose them selves to such a situation. in quetta, police had clearly requested them to limit themselves to a certain area, however their leaders in bravado broke the police corden and exposed these people to death and destruction. 3. those who were in the procession started firing after the suicide blast. this added to further casualties. this can be seen in the tv footages. 4. every year the lives and properties of the bussiness community and residents who happen to be pashtuns of the area are put on stake by such like processions. such like acts will further put the peace of the area at stake.

Tauseef | 14 years ago | Reply Has any jamat-e-Islami or a Sunni Muslim issued a fatwa that such suicide bombers would go to Hell? I guess not.

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ahmed | 14 years ago | Reply A leading newspaper gives the exact address of an ahmadi worship place which was attacked. It seems that the author wants to alert terrorists and point them in the exact direction. This guy needs to be apprehended. http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/04-Sep-2010/One-dies-in-suicide-hit-on-Ahmadiya-worship-place

Muzaffar | 14 years ago | Reply Qari Hussain Mehsud of TTP has claimed resonsibility. "We proudly take its responsibility," he told the Associated Press news agency by phone from an undisclosed location. "Our war is against America and Pakistan security forces, but Shiites are also our target because they too are our enemies."

Jaffery Syed | 14 years ago | Reply These processions except the Al Quds ralley are happening even before pakistan's creation so this argument is really stupid to stop them because the govt cant give security. where did ISI go, the best spy, security agency? there are so many elements involve in such type of killings , saudia & america.. as for them shiaism is more of iran's influence in pakistan. Saudia Arabia has been funding these anti shia organizations like Sipah e Sahaba n rest of them and these talibans re now USA's puppets..so both are united against iran and shia muslims. thats why not even a single terrorist of such killings or bombings have been caught so far. its all messed up, so many foreign elements involve, we dont have our own policy, we mostly relay on saudia or USA for aids, so wud have their interference and will protect their interests too... I pitty on such people who talk about revolution and then saying to stop processions, thats how we will bring the change and make our rulers do what we want and looking to happen in this country. seeking for our own identity being true pakistani's without no foreign involvement..we should all strive for it and help each other.

Hussain | 14 years ago | Reply Palestine has not yet condemned the blast while the USA already has. 55 people died for nothing.

Saleem Qadri | 14 years ago | Reply Probably one reason of these suicide attacks is that the victims are not targeting the Taliban and Al Qaeda & their sympathizers in retaliation, any idea?

ali | 14 years ago | Reply Unless the media plays the role it should.The revolution is beyond imagination for Pakistanis.The way media is running the one sided story without letting the hatred and anger spilled, spoils the making of a revolution.--------------- I hope express tribune would not think like ISI's think tank and let my comments be posted.----------------

Arrosa khan | 14 years ago | Reply We ae wierd people; Can anyone tell if there is anything that we love with our hearts, within or outside our national borders. We just pretend to love our country, our deeds do not support that assertion. We all of course know how full of hatred we are.

mushtaq | 14 years ago | Reply We need to eduacte our people and start building our own country and stop supporting Jihadies and religious zealots as part of our state policy. We must be honest and let this ghost of kashmir off of our heads, otherwise let alone kasmir we won't have even this Pakistan the land we love so much.

Syed A. Mateen | 14 years ago | Reply The religious processions allowed in Pakistan to walk on the streets is a serious security threat for every one including the people who take out processions, police and other members of security agencies. Moreover, it also creates problems for the commuters as roads are blocked and people cannot go on the already block roads from where the religious processions is supposed to go. The pedestrians also feel uncomfortable while walking on the street. When every year so many people died due to terrorist attacks on the religious processions, why the government has not banned taking out religious processions on the streets? People having different faiths and believes must worship within the four walls and should not make it a point to take out the religious procession on the streets. If some one insists on taking out procession on the streets, it means that he want the innocent people should die due to terrorist attacks on the processions. The entire responsibility lies on the shoulders of the people who instigate, authorize and lead the processions. The government of Pakistan should seriously take up the matter in the National Assembly and pass the law that no religious procession should be taken out from any where in the entire country in order to save the precious human lives. This is the only way to save the lives of the innocent people who die due to terrorist attacks on the religious processions.

Mohammed Abbasi | 14 years ago | Reply Lets see which 'Political Mullahs' condemn this!

Aftab Kenneth Wilson | 14 years ago | Reply Can any one stand up and inform the people of Pakistan whether these types of processions were taken out in other 56 Muslim Countries or not??? Why are our religious leaders playing with the sentiments of their half educated people ??? It is true that Israel needs to stop all types of atrocities against the people of Palestine and agree to a home land for these displaced people all over the world. I personally think that it is time to bring first our home in order then look here and there. It is further suggested to ban all types of processions knowing that we are at war against a typical mind set. Pakistan has its own variety of problems which needs more thought full attention by all Tom, Dicks and Harries. Ours hearts bleeds when we see and hear these types of acts on almost daily basis. It is also time to first see our own hands very minutely before we see any foreign hands. Let us all come out of the state of denial.

Akram | 14 years ago | Reply Its about time the People of Pakistan from All Provinces Get together and tackle the Taliban Ourselves! Revolution I must Say

Muhammad Akhtar | 14 years ago | Reply @Imran Moderation of comments is due to prevent abuse. Nothing else.

Abrar NY | 14 years ago | Reply I heard that more ppl have died there from police and fc firing than the original bomb itself. Also I find it really ironic that a muslim killed other muslims while they were protesting for palestinians(muslims) against the zionists(non-muslims). and the palestinian brothers might not even care about all this incident.

Saif | 14 years ago | Reply @ Akhtar: I am being told about a Messiah. He will relieve me from my pains and sorrows, so this is as I am supposed to be, as 'ordered'. Sitting with my hands tied, doing nothing instead of corrupting the system, waiting for him to come :)

Muhammad Akhtar | 14 years ago | Reply Do You know why does all this happen? cuz we think someone else will come and help us. We think God may send an angel to us and he should help us without our soul and work. Is that possible? Have you ever got a piece of bread without working? So you should think. You'll be blasted yourself one day. Cuz everything gotta over a day. So Just think of the point Thank You

Yusaf Khan | 14 years ago | Reply God please have mercy on our souls. We all need to get together and fight this menace. As long as we are united we will prevail.

Tilsim | 14 years ago | Reply All Pakistanis must get together to fight sectarianism, ethnic and religious intolerance in every way possible. We need courage to face down these enemies of Pakistan. Whilst precautions are necessary, it's easy to be scared and stunned into silence. Each one of us needs to take steps to condemn hate talk starting with our families, friends, places of worship, workplace, schools, leaders. We need to learn once again to respect all of God's peaceful creation whether Pakistani or not, whether Muslim or not. We need to pressurise the government to act against extremists when it fails to do so but also to support it when it does act. We need to stop giving sadqah and zakat to their 'charity' arms or in fact to any organisation or person who's credentials we cannot be sure of. Muslims are mostly in danger from other so called muslims who are violently extremist and want to enforce their version of faith on everyone else. Pakistanis will not accept this - we just need to fight it at every turn. It's a matter of our collective survival.

Majeed | 14 years ago | Reply Tanzeel does have a point...normally its the Pakistanis who always try to be the torchbearers of Islam. Have you ever seen Iranians rallying for Kashmir? What about the rich Arabs drinking oil everyday who probably won't give a donkey's luck? First fix your own country, then worry about others

Imran | 14 years ago | Reply Why does Express News have to Moderate our Comments? Where is Free Speech and Our so called Demo-cracy?

Imran | 14 years ago | Reply Seriously, Did these terrorists forget its Ramadan? If you honestly think your gona get to heaven this way then think again because hell is preciously begging for you! i agree with most of the Comments, this proves that the Taliban are with the Zionists and Hindus because there was no other reason for such action. What did Al Quds day have to do with American Presence in Afghanistan?

Tanzeel | 14 years ago | Reply Yomul Quds is not a religious gathering in anyway. When Palestinians/ Iranis don't take out rallies on Kashmir Day why Pakistanis observe Yaumul Quds ? Although Quetta suicide bombing is not justified yet lots of lives would have been saved if people refrained themselves attending the "Non Religious" gathering.

Saif | 14 years ago | Reply No. Pakistan has not remained a place for rationals. period.

Syed Shahid | 14 years ago | Reply bleeding of Pakistan continued!

K Z Kakar | 14 years ago | Reply pakistan is not remained a place of life.

Bangash | 14 years ago | Reply The Taliban only know to kill using guns and bombs, so thats what they are doing. I would ask Taliban apologists what this attack has to do with American presence in Afghanistan ?

Abdullah | 14 years ago | Reply Al Quds rally is against attrocities of Isarel and USA. It is taken otu for the liberation of Qibla awal. this incident shows that talibans are sons and agents of Isarael and USA. Pka Army please destry these talibans. they are zionist and raw agents

Saif | 14 years ago | Reply yet you can not find any evidence or religious order behind these processions; they are only made part of the religion, they actually are not. Further, based on the rigidness of minority in Pakistan, these processions intentionally take the busiest routes of cosmopolitan cities, giving chance to terrorists to destroy them as well as the city, Now, if anything is done against these processions, our dear minority's so called leaders will shout and cry. So, the situation is really messed up over here. Finally,,,procession of Al-Quds has no roots with any religious order (it is politically motivated order from Iranian Khomeini which started only some decades ago), and religion is the very thing which procession members seem to be really crazy about. So..have fun and keep getting killed!

Khan | 14 years ago | Reply Oh dear....thats a massive death toll..also exceeds Lahore attacks

AceKAt | 14 years ago | Reply These bloody terrorists have DESTROYED our hospitals, mosques, schools, universities, shops, cricket (actually all kind of sport), markets, businesses, internet/music cafe's, hotels, security institutions and what not... and now they forbid us from condemning zionists. you give me one thing that they have spared. Pakistan seriously needs some sort of massive miraculous revolution. Let's bring back that nationalism and get rid of these foreign viruses - before they assume a deep homegrown origin

The Only Normal Person Here. | 14 years ago | Reply RIP. It is really heart rending to see the country burning. I hope our flint authorities would bother to get up their seats and work. Comb out the illegal residents from the country, rid on the spots of drugs mafia, arm mafia and black money mafia, tighten security on the durand line and arrest all the suspected groups. But I know none of that gonna happen. I am talking to the walls.

Abdul Rahman Khan | 14 years ago | Reply For God's sake, stop these religious processions and rallies which are easy targets of terrorists. Rahman Malik talked very much sense when he appealed to the shia community not to take out such processions and rallies. some of the shia leaders didn't like his appeal and were insistant on rejecting his plea. Such rallies and slogans are only a waste of precious human lives in such incidents and wouldn't budge israel to give up occupation of jerusalem.

Thinker | 14 years ago | Reply Like a disease spreads from one thing to another, Pakistan has been hit by the same cancer which Iraq and Afghanistan suffered from. And unfortunately, this is a cancer that only gets worse

Jaffery Syed | 14 years ago | Reply this is a stupid say to " stop taking out processions " ,,, they attacked Data darbar, that means we should close data darbar or any other place? thats a ridiculous and a senseless thought and a suggestion. that means government is paralyzed and cant do anything. They know already whats gonna happen and who will be the target, its just some of the religious ppl in government want all this to happen to target the shia community... why they never had a blast in a political ralley ? i feel pitty on people who give such political statements that " they cant be muslims or humans".... to tell u the truth they are Pakistani's and they are one of those sects who believe in killing shia's is like going into heaven. They have got united with Al-Qaeda and Taliban so they are achieving both goals.. Al-qaeda n taliban wants to de-stabilize pakistan whereas these lashkar e jhangvi and sipah e sabaha wants to kill shia in the name of sectarianism. so by killing shia's they are achieving both of their goals, and govt is now appealing to ppl, means total failure. In Punjab the govt elements are supporting sipah e sahaba and other anti shia movements and whereas in Balochistan its an easy target for them as no Govt. is present there practically....all we can do is condemn them and pray for our country to get rid of such losers. Ameen.

ABDUL RAFEH | 14 years ago | Reply RAW and MOSAD or Political turns no TALIBANS dats a fatality

Syed Nadir El-Edroos | 14 years ago | Reply Where are all the people who were getting excited that the ISI has been rated by smashinglists.com as the best intelligence agency in the world! if this is how the best intelligence agency helps to secure its citizens, God help us if it slips down the ratings

AA.KJ | 14 years ago | Reply The question shouldn't be why people carried out a procession condemning Israel. The question should be why did militants bomb a procession condemning Israel? It doesn't seem to fit within any agenda

Syed | 14 years ago | Reply Quds was supposed to be an Antio-zionist rally in support of the poor palestinians...This attack confims that Taliban is an Israeli proxy trying to destabalize Pakistan & Afghanistan and working to bring bad/evil name to the face of Islam.... The sunni religious leaders need to educate the masses and teach them that talibani mentality is against Islam and protect the young for getting misguided and being played at the hands of Taliban

faraz | 14 years ago | Reply Where is the mighty ISI? Or do we still need these strategic assets

Sehr Zaidi | 14 years ago | Reply why do people take out procession when they know that they would be targeted by suicide bombers in such precarious security conditions?

RAW | 14 years ago | Reply Insanity at its height. It seems the Talibans have lost all kinds of senses; bombing seems to be the only agenda. Heck, they don;t even realise what they are bombing: A religious shrine? A hospital? A market? A religious procession? A political rally? Worst of all, a MOSQUE? And today, a procession where people are condemning Zionism?! Can anyone make sense out of this that why Islamists would want to bomb a rally where people are actually condemning Israel? khuda ke banday! Koi to batae!!

Sohail Muhammad Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Now, we Pakistanis face these incidents everyday and we condemn after every incident. Although we expect everything from government, we should understand that present situation is not appropriate for processions. In this regard I would suggest that we ought to stop every type of processions. This is the only way we can safe our precious lives.

Sara | 14 years ago | Reply Government IS totally useless.

Hasan | 14 years ago | Reply Government is totally useless.

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