The nearby houses and shops were also damaged. PHOTO: EXPRESS
QUETTA: At least 28 people were killed and 65 injured in an explosion that took place in Hazara Town, Quetta on Sunday, Express News reported.
Initial reports suggest the explosion which took place outside the Abu Talib imambargah was caused by a suicide bomb attack.
"It's a congested area. There are also a few shops around," said Express News correspondent Tariq Mehmood about the site of the explosion.
Rescue teams reached the site of the explosion immediately.
"Two blasts were reported. One was relatively stronger than the other," said Express News correspondent Arif Mehmood.
"The nearby houses and shops were damaged," said Arif.
The injured were taken to the CMH hospital while the dead bodies were shifted to the Civil Hospital.
Soon after the attack, people started aerial firing.
The casualities of the blast were high since the attack occurred shortly after Maghrib prayers, when people had started to come out of the imambargah, said Arif.
Electricity supply was suspended in the area.
"The darkness proved to be a hindrance for the rescue teams," said Mehmood.
The Bomb Disposal Squad reached the site of the explosion and the area was cordoned off for further investigation.
In a press conference shortly after the attack, Capital City Police Officer confirmed the number of casualties.
Lashkar-e-Jhangi claimed responsibility of the attack, saying that the first attack was a suicide blast while the second was carried out by a remote-controlled device, reported Express News correspondent.
Jaffaria Alliance announced a youm-e-sog for three days following the attack.
Majlis-e-Wehdat-e-Muslimeen said it will hold nationwide protests against the recent series of suicide attacks happening in the country.
COMMENTS (36)
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I am local of Quetta, a Pashtun and Sunni. We all feel sad and extremely angry over what is happening to Hazarahs of Quetta. Our country is the world's fifth biggest military power in the world but can still not stop this. This is shocking, disgraceful and an insult to humanity.
@Lala Gee: @ali:
Lala Gee, meet ali.
At some point blind ideological nationalists will have to stop betraying the minority Pakistanis by lying about a non-existent Indian bogeyman and immediately address the mindset of the local Wahhabi/Salafi/Deoband/Sunni extremists, as espoused in ali's narrative, who are behind most of this terrorist violence by militants that were cultivated thanks to the Pak state.
@Naeem, You ask how long will international community be silent ? It will be silent just as it was when the same thing happened to hindus and sikhs in Pakistan. Remember Hindus and sikhs were 22% of population of w pakistan in 1947. Today they are 1.6%. Shias today are less than 22% of Pak population and what happened to Hindus and Sikhs, under a Shia leader , can happen to Shias themselves.
It is 2013, 67 years on from those dates. Learn to live in today. I don't care what Indians were thinking or not thinking 3 generations ago. My country, the country where I and my parents and grandparents were born and grew up in is burning.
Sectarian killings are terrifying. Who will be next?Why do some elements of state level continue to deliberately ignore or patronise these evil organisations?
@Water Bottle: Imambargah is a Shia worship place. By stating the building that was attacked, it is clear who the victims were. Hope this helps.
Such a sad incident again. what has the Hazara Community done to deserve this! i do not understand why educated people like Imran Khan says that we should have negotiations and dialogues with these murderers!
i have lost faith that pakistan will ever be the country it once was if the people and the leaders continue to sit blindly."innocence of muslims" bought the whole country on the streets but the daily attack on minorities has been met with nothing but "condemnations".i am quite ashamed and angry how my country has become a graveyard and even though i hate to admit it,sometimes i hesistae to tell where i am from in order to avoid the glances
Hazaras cant go back to afghanistan where they helped americans and iranians to invade and kill hundreds of thousands of innocent afghans because they were sunni much like whats happening in syria
What a tragedy. Does anyone remember the c... Taliban who said they will pursue Hazaras till the end of earth? The mentality has entered pakistan aages ago. Here is an idea. Why not launch an all out operation in whole country at the same time to overcome this militancy? If it had been done this way, pakistan would have been free by now and we would nt have had to bear people like IK who try to explain every militant attack the drone way. We have a huge problem and we just dont accept it. These militants live among us. We are a corrupt nation who lets its own people die and stays just silent. We are all complicit
@ModiFied:
"India must extend all possible help to Pakistan in this battle, else sooner or later it will reach Indian heartland also"
What do you think why Pakistan is not actively taking on these terrorists? Remember LTTE and IPKF imbroglio in Sri Lanka? This is exactly what is going to happen if India doesn't stop sponsoring these terrorist outfits with the evil machinations to hurt Pakistan. The only help India can extend to Pakistan is help herself by not helping these terrorists, if not for Pakistan, at least for her own sake.
@Atif Does it cross your mind that in 1946/47, many Indians said the same thing
//I really hate these religious extremists who are tearing my country apart thinking they will end up in heaven by killing innocent people up – surely you are the biggest losers on the face of this earth.//
No? Didn't cross your mind? Then you deserve this.
@Naeem azad, whole Pakistan want to migrates these days whether shia or sunna, hindwa, sikhwa, qadiana
My heart goes out to you Hazara people in Quetta. I sit in Lahore and watch this on TV and can't help but wonder if the bombs were going off in Lahore everyday, what would the Army, agencies and politicians do? But Peshawer, Quetta and Karachi are just fine! When will we become Pakistan and when will the dominant punjabi establishment wake up from its deep slumber and fix things once in for all. My condolences for your loss. Know that the common people in all provinces and territories in Pakistan pray for you and hope this madness comes to an end soon.
Pakistanis do not have the stomach to fight a war, nor the intellect to struggle for peace. There are no winners in wars but only the loosers. Stop the belligerency against fellow country men and send the army to their quarters.
Rex Minor
Everytime we blame the attackers/assailants, but no one question our security agencies who are running on our taxes.... I dare to question our security agencies. . Where are you spending our hard-earned money (i.e. taxes), if you can't protect common citizen? Would you accept you incompetency in protecting peoples' lives.
Since this year had started we had saw a lot of suicide attacks in Quetta and Karachi, especially the attacks on imambargah and killing the particular religious followers Shia community is their main concern and Shia Community thinking that Sunni community is doing this. We are trapped inside our own thinking.
@ ET
“Two blasts were reported. One was relatively stronger than the other,” said Express News correspondent Arif Mehmood.
Does it need your reporter to say that when there are two blasts , one is stronger than the other? Please improve reporting / sub editing desk.
Having said that shouldn't government have Plan B? Their initial plan of negotiation is obviously not working.
Nathan
It is better for Hazaras to go back to Afghanistan, where they are safe.
Religion of peace strikes once again
This is just tearing me up inside. We have the fire-power to defeat these terrorists but we are so timid to act. How long can this go on. If India did this us our politicians will be beating their chests. I swear I am close to giving up on Pakistan. The longer we wait it is only going to get worse. My sympathies to the families of the murdered.
You want peace. Repeal the 1974 blasphemy from the constitution of Pakistan. Make it a crime to judge the faith of others.
There is no other option. Period.
Decision making is suffering from paralysis and state machinery has crippled. Down with this impotent democracy. People of Pakistan are slaughtered and President, PM are happy with just condemning the terrorist act.
Me thinks, some pious Muslim organization paid a hefty sum to a poor Muslim and promised him a free condo and 72 virgins in heaven to kill people who are not following true Islam. Mullahs making good money running organization, driving luxury cars.
Time has come for peace loving Muslims to take head on with this monster of Islamic terrorism. Any delay will be lethal not only for Pakistan but for the Islam as well. India must extend all possible help to Pakistan in this battle, else sooner or later it will reach Indian heartland also.. All out battle will have to be fought as its a matter of survival now for decent peace loving people.
@misbah: leaders will only wake up when the people will wake up. We also share the same blame by just shouting and doing nothing practically!
Imran Khan we are waiting for your negotiation with 'sons of soil' as your party call these terrorists.
I really hate these religious extremists who are tearing my country apart thinking they will end up in heaven by killing innocent people up - surely you are the biggest losers on the face of this earth. Equally angry at our government/politicians who support these extremist groups and our military & security agencies who sit by idly. Open your eyes if this goes on there will be no Pakistan in the future.
How long will the international community be silent on the Shia Genocide going on for years in Pakistan. Canada gave asylum to Christian Rimsha Masih. Who will help the Shias? Can India or Iran offer help to Shia.
Should everyone convert to Sunni Islam by force or get killed?
May the departed souls rest in peace and God gives peace to all the effected families . Let Almighty take the revenge for the innocent lives killed here. Our present and previous gov have failed to provide any kind of protection action against the terrorist groups.
Sure, there must be a foreign hand behind this attack, not TTP, but India..................
Another heartbreaking event. LeJ/TTP will eventually take responsibility for this. Confession of crime usually ensures that quick action is taken against the perpetrator, both by the police and the courts in any other part of the world. However, here in the land of the pure, we will register an FIR against unknown people (even after the confession). Politicians will condemn these 'unknown' people even if the culprits send emails, faxes to news centers with their names highlighted. They will even send CDs with the video of the event or the suicide bomber's last statement, and still we will pretend that we just don't know who did this. We will of course know who they are when we start our dialogue process of surrendering to them.
Same serial, same actors just with next episode number....
hail the land of the pure...lets talk and talk until we all perish.my condolences to the victims.2 attacks today,when will our leaders wake up??