Defiance: Locals stand united after imambargah attack
Demand checks on foreigners in locality; attacker’s remains sent for DNA testing.
Shiite Muslims protesting to condmn the attack on the Imambargah after the funeral. PHOTO: INP
ISLAMABAD:
A sense of unity and harmony prevailed despite a gloomy atmosphere as locals gathered for the funerals of three people killed in the suicide attack on Imambargah Qasr-e-Skina on Wednesday.
They said the terrorists will fail in their effort to divide people on sectarian lines. “We speak the same language and have same culture. We are one people. These attacks cannot divide us,” said 55-year-old Shafaat Hussain, who lost a relative, Sakhawat Hussain Shah, in Wednesday’s attack.
“We have a masjid and an imambargah side by side. It is the best example of our unity,” said Muhammad Usman, a local who came to attend the funeral prayers.
The residents have celebrated rituals of both the sects together for centuries. Food for every religious festival has always been prepared by the community at the mosque premises.
Concerns at unregistered foreigners
The locals voiced concern at the increase in unregistered foreign nationals living in the neighbourhood. “Police have never tried to document or keep check on them,” said Farzand Ali, a local resident.
Though the imambargah falls in the jurisdiction of the Shahzad Town police, most of Shakrial comes under Sadiqabad Police Station, an area known for its high crime rate.
“The area has become virtually a safe haven for criminals and the police are either helpless or hand in glove with them,” said Muhammad Ali, another resident.
Two victims of the blast, Ghulam Hussain Shah and Sakhawat Hussain Shah were laid to rest inside the imambargah premises while the third, Abdul Shakoor, was taken to his ancestral village, Pehont, in suburban Islamabad.
Attacker’s remains sent for testing
Dr Muhammad Naseer, a forensic expert at Pakistan Institute of Medical sciences (Pims) who performed an autopsy on the suicide attacker, said the bomber’s left arm was missing and his body was in bad shape, but the face was identifiable.
Naseed said the bomber was aged between 25 and 27 and had a moustache and beard. Bone samples have been sent for DNA tests. The bomber’s body was still being held at Pims when this report was filed.
Pims spokesperson Dr Ayesha Ishani said that only one person injured in the blast was still admitted at the hospital. “Altaf Hussian, who was critically injured in the attack, was put on a ventilator, but he is recovering now,” said the spokesperson. She said the hospital received two dead and three injured persons.
One of the injured died at the hospital on Wednesday. She said all of them had injuries caused by firearms and projectiles.
FIR registered
The Shahzad Town police have registered an FIR against three unknown persons for the attack. The FIR says three men came on a car, and one of them barged into the imambargah and opened indiscriminate fire.
It says security guard Ghulam Hussain, volunteer Sakhawat Hussain, and several others were shot and injured in the incident. Both guards and the volunteer died later. SHO Qaiser Niaz Gillani has been appointed the investigation officer for the case.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2015.
A sense of unity and harmony prevailed despite a gloomy atmosphere as locals gathered for the funerals of three people killed in the suicide attack on Imambargah Qasr-e-Skina on Wednesday.
They said the terrorists will fail in their effort to divide people on sectarian lines. “We speak the same language and have same culture. We are one people. These attacks cannot divide us,” said 55-year-old Shafaat Hussain, who lost a relative, Sakhawat Hussain Shah, in Wednesday’s attack.
“We have a masjid and an imambargah side by side. It is the best example of our unity,” said Muhammad Usman, a local who came to attend the funeral prayers.
The residents have celebrated rituals of both the sects together for centuries. Food for every religious festival has always been prepared by the community at the mosque premises.
Concerns at unregistered foreigners
The locals voiced concern at the increase in unregistered foreign nationals living in the neighbourhood. “Police have never tried to document or keep check on them,” said Farzand Ali, a local resident.
Though the imambargah falls in the jurisdiction of the Shahzad Town police, most of Shakrial comes under Sadiqabad Police Station, an area known for its high crime rate.
“The area has become virtually a safe haven for criminals and the police are either helpless or hand in glove with them,” said Muhammad Ali, another resident.
Two victims of the blast, Ghulam Hussain Shah and Sakhawat Hussain Shah were laid to rest inside the imambargah premises while the third, Abdul Shakoor, was taken to his ancestral village, Pehont, in suburban Islamabad.
Attacker’s remains sent for testing
Dr Muhammad Naseer, a forensic expert at Pakistan Institute of Medical sciences (Pims) who performed an autopsy on the suicide attacker, said the bomber’s left arm was missing and his body was in bad shape, but the face was identifiable.
Naseed said the bomber was aged between 25 and 27 and had a moustache and beard. Bone samples have been sent for DNA tests. The bomber’s body was still being held at Pims when this report was filed.
Pims spokesperson Dr Ayesha Ishani said that only one person injured in the blast was still admitted at the hospital. “Altaf Hussian, who was critically injured in the attack, was put on a ventilator, but he is recovering now,” said the spokesperson. She said the hospital received two dead and three injured persons.
One of the injured died at the hospital on Wednesday. She said all of them had injuries caused by firearms and projectiles.
FIR registered
The Shahzad Town police have registered an FIR against three unknown persons for the attack. The FIR says three men came on a car, and one of them barged into the imambargah and opened indiscriminate fire.
It says security guard Ghulam Hussain, volunteer Sakhawat Hussain, and several others were shot and injured in the incident. Both guards and the volunteer died later. SHO Qaiser Niaz Gillani has been appointed the investigation officer for the case.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 20th, 2015.