Aryavartha
12-04-2006, 03:42
At first I thought it is one of the shia-sunni things, but it appears that the victims are Barelvis (sunni) and the perpetrators are the Deobandis (sunni). This is a new development in the sectarion conflicts of Pakistan. Barelvis are a sunni sect and the majority amongst all sects in Pakistan (Deobandi, Shia, Ahmedi, Ismaili, Sufi etc). From a kafir viewpoint, Barelvis are a lot better than the Deobandis and are not found to be involved in the jihad factory of Pakistan (atleast as far as I know). But the Barelvis (community leaders, Imams, Moulanas etc) have not spoken against the jihad policies either.
Paraphrasing a famous saying....first they came for the hindus, I did not do anything....then they came for the ahmedis, I did not do anything...then they came for the shias, I did not do anything....then they came for me, nobody did anything for me....Let's hope that the majority Barelvis wake up atleast now to the takeover by the Deobandis....and do something about it...
http://ia.rediff.com/news/2006/apr/11pak.htm?q=tp&file=.htm
55 killed in Karachi blast
Samiul Hasan in Karachi | April 11, 2006 21:03 IST
Last Updated: April 11, 2006 23:31 IST
Fifty-five people were killed, and scores injured when a powerful blast ripped through a stage erected in a park where Pakistani religious leaders and hundreds of faithful were offering evening prayers on the occasion on Prophet Mohammed's birth anniversary.
The bomb, planted under a stage erected in the crowded Nishtar Park in Pakistan's port city Karachi, tore through scattering bodies dressed in ceremonial white outfits across the area.
While 51 deaths were confirmed by officials in Karachi, television channels reported that 55 were killed in the explosion.
Those killed in the bomb attack included head of the Islamic group Tehrik Awam Ahli-Sunnat Haji Hanif Bilo and his son Hafiz Bilo.
TAAS organised today's congregation at the park in Karachi. The condition of number of TAAS leaders who were injured in the blast was stated to be serious.
Local Geo TV reported said some of the leaders of the banned Sunni outfit, Sunni Tehrik, who took part in the meeting, were injured in the explosion. A number of television journalists were also injured in the attack.
"Human remains are scattered all over the place. The injured are being rushed to local hospitals. It was a powerful bomb blast and we fear a very high casualty list," a spokesman of the local administration said.
Nearly 125 injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals and the condition of most of them was said to be serious. Emergency has been declared in hospitals.
"We fear a very high casualty list," a spokesman of the local administration said.
Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao told reporters in Islamabad that police were not sure if it was a suicide attack.
Chief Secretary of Sindh province Fazalur Rehman denied that the blast occurred due to a security breach while Sindh Interior Minister Rauf Siddique feared a suicide attack and said the area has been put under high security alert.
The stage was totally destroyed in the blast.
Sherpao and top police officials declined to speculate who could be behind the blast. Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city housing over 12 million people has been witnessing sectarian strife for over a decade with extremist groups of Sunnis and Shias targeting each other's religious congregations.
"We have not received any reports that it was a suicide attack. Security has been tightened in the city and an emergency has been declared. Investigation has been ordered and the probe will be made public," Sherpao said in Islamabad.
Soon after the blast, a mob pelted stones at the police and paramilitary rangers when they arrived at the site.
Police then fired in the air to disperse the crowd.
President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz strongly condemned the "heinous act" and ordered security to be stepped up at mosques, a government statement said.
Chief Minister of Sindh Province Arbab Rahim has announced Rs 1,00,000 compensation for those killed in the blast and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Sindh province's party Motahida Qaumi Movement has announced a three-day mourning.
Just a couple of days ago, 31 women and children were killed and more than 50 others injured in a stampede during an religious gathering.
Images from the newspaper Dawn. Warning - some pictures are graphic with blood and gore.
http://dawn.com/2006/04/11/load_images.swf
Update from Dawn...
Several top Sunni Tahreeq leaders Martyred KARACHI, April 11
(Agencies) Haji Hanif Billo, Mulana Abbas Qadri, Hafiz Muhammad Taqi & Iftikhar Bhatti were among the top notch leaders of Sunni Tahreeq / Jamaat Ahl-e-Sunnat who were martyred in the bomb blast at Nishtar park tuesday evening, hospital sources said. Mulana Shah Turabul Huq Qadri, a senior leader of the organizing committee was injured but is handling the post' explosion crises with the help of his aides and in consultation with the authorities. Mulana Shah Turabul Huq Qadri told private TV Channels that the most intriguing thing was that all telephone links including mobile telephones went dead soon after the bomb blast, & no one including he himself could contact any one in the city out side the Nishtar park area.(First Posted @ 21:44 PST Updated @ 23:32 PST)
From Stratfor.com, says 70 killed.
Pakistan: Barelvi Sunnis Targeted in Karachi Bombing
April 11, 2006 16 11 GMT
Summary
At least 70 people were killed in a bomb blast in a public park in the Southern Pakistani city of Karachi on April 11. This is the second attack against Barelvi Sunnis and the first such attack against a Barelvi gathering commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed. The bombing is likely the work of extremist Deobandi or Ahl-i-Hadith militants. The timing and the target of event will create a major backlash against militant Islamists, who mostly share the Taliban and al Qaeda ideologies.
Analysis
An explosion took place during evening prayers April 11 in Nishtar Park in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, where Barelvi Sunni worshippers had gathered to celebrate the birth anniversary of the Prophet Mohammed. At least 70 people were killed and scores more were wounded.
That this attack targeted a gathering of Barelvi -- who constitute the majority of Pakistan's Sunnis -- and that it occurred during celebration of the Prophet Mohammed's birthday, Eid Milad-un-Nabi (or Mawlid, as it is referred to in the Middle East), indicates the likely perpetrators were extremist Deobandi and/or Ahl-i-Hadith militants. Followers of these groups strongly oppose such marabout-type practice, and reject all religious ideas and acts that were not practiced by the Prophet Mohammed and his companions.
This is the second attack in Pakistan targeting Barelvis; the first was the suicide bombing against the Bari Imam shrine in Islamabad in 2005. The timing and target will create a significant backlash against groups that share the views of the Taliban and al Qaeda, and could open up the mainstream Sunni versus Wahhabist fault line that divides the Pakistani Sunni community.
Background info
http://www.newsline.com.pk/NewsJune2001/coverstory4.htm
The War Within?
Intra-Sunni conflict adds yet another dimension to Karachi’s war with itself.
By Massoud Ansari
Paraphrasing a famous saying....first they came for the hindus, I did not do anything....then they came for the ahmedis, I did not do anything...then they came for the shias, I did not do anything....then they came for me, nobody did anything for me....Let's hope that the majority Barelvis wake up atleast now to the takeover by the Deobandis....and do something about it...
http://ia.rediff.com/news/2006/apr/11pak.htm?q=tp&file=.htm
55 killed in Karachi blast
Samiul Hasan in Karachi | April 11, 2006 21:03 IST
Last Updated: April 11, 2006 23:31 IST
Fifty-five people were killed, and scores injured when a powerful blast ripped through a stage erected in a park where Pakistani religious leaders and hundreds of faithful were offering evening prayers on the occasion on Prophet Mohammed's birth anniversary.
The bomb, planted under a stage erected in the crowded Nishtar Park in Pakistan's port city Karachi, tore through scattering bodies dressed in ceremonial white outfits across the area.
While 51 deaths were confirmed by officials in Karachi, television channels reported that 55 were killed in the explosion.
Those killed in the bomb attack included head of the Islamic group Tehrik Awam Ahli-Sunnat Haji Hanif Bilo and his son Hafiz Bilo.
TAAS organised today's congregation at the park in Karachi. The condition of number of TAAS leaders who were injured in the blast was stated to be serious.
Local Geo TV reported said some of the leaders of the banned Sunni outfit, Sunni Tehrik, who took part in the meeting, were injured in the explosion. A number of television journalists were also injured in the attack.
"Human remains are scattered all over the place. The injured are being rushed to local hospitals. It was a powerful bomb blast and we fear a very high casualty list," a spokesman of the local administration said.
Nearly 125 injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals and the condition of most of them was said to be serious. Emergency has been declared in hospitals.
"We fear a very high casualty list," a spokesman of the local administration said.
Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao told reporters in Islamabad that police were not sure if it was a suicide attack.
Chief Secretary of Sindh province Fazalur Rehman denied that the blast occurred due to a security breach while Sindh Interior Minister Rauf Siddique feared a suicide attack and said the area has been put under high security alert.
The stage was totally destroyed in the blast.
Sherpao and top police officials declined to speculate who could be behind the blast. Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city housing over 12 million people has been witnessing sectarian strife for over a decade with extremist groups of Sunnis and Shias targeting each other's religious congregations.
"We have not received any reports that it was a suicide attack. Security has been tightened in the city and an emergency has been declared. Investigation has been ordered and the probe will be made public," Sherpao said in Islamabad.
Soon after the blast, a mob pelted stones at the police and paramilitary rangers when they arrived at the site.
Police then fired in the air to disperse the crowd.
President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz strongly condemned the "heinous act" and ordered security to be stepped up at mosques, a government statement said.
Chief Minister of Sindh Province Arbab Rahim has announced Rs 1,00,000 compensation for those killed in the blast and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Sindh province's party Motahida Qaumi Movement has announced a three-day mourning.
Just a couple of days ago, 31 women and children were killed and more than 50 others injured in a stampede during an religious gathering.
Images from the newspaper Dawn. Warning - some pictures are graphic with blood and gore.
http://dawn.com/2006/04/11/load_images.swf
Update from Dawn...
Several top Sunni Tahreeq leaders Martyred KARACHI, April 11
(Agencies) Haji Hanif Billo, Mulana Abbas Qadri, Hafiz Muhammad Taqi & Iftikhar Bhatti were among the top notch leaders of Sunni Tahreeq / Jamaat Ahl-e-Sunnat who were martyred in the bomb blast at Nishtar park tuesday evening, hospital sources said. Mulana Shah Turabul Huq Qadri, a senior leader of the organizing committee was injured but is handling the post' explosion crises with the help of his aides and in consultation with the authorities. Mulana Shah Turabul Huq Qadri told private TV Channels that the most intriguing thing was that all telephone links including mobile telephones went dead soon after the bomb blast, & no one including he himself could contact any one in the city out side the Nishtar park area.(First Posted @ 21:44 PST Updated @ 23:32 PST)
From Stratfor.com, says 70 killed.
Pakistan: Barelvi Sunnis Targeted in Karachi Bombing
April 11, 2006 16 11 GMT
Summary
At least 70 people were killed in a bomb blast in a public park in the Southern Pakistani city of Karachi on April 11. This is the second attack against Barelvi Sunnis and the first such attack against a Barelvi gathering commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed. The bombing is likely the work of extremist Deobandi or Ahl-i-Hadith militants. The timing and the target of event will create a major backlash against militant Islamists, who mostly share the Taliban and al Qaeda ideologies.
Analysis
An explosion took place during evening prayers April 11 in Nishtar Park in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, where Barelvi Sunni worshippers had gathered to celebrate the birth anniversary of the Prophet Mohammed. At least 70 people were killed and scores more were wounded.
That this attack targeted a gathering of Barelvi -- who constitute the majority of Pakistan's Sunnis -- and that it occurred during celebration of the Prophet Mohammed's birthday, Eid Milad-un-Nabi (or Mawlid, as it is referred to in the Middle East), indicates the likely perpetrators were extremist Deobandi and/or Ahl-i-Hadith militants. Followers of these groups strongly oppose such marabout-type practice, and reject all religious ideas and acts that were not practiced by the Prophet Mohammed and his companions.
This is the second attack in Pakistan targeting Barelvis; the first was the suicide bombing against the Bari Imam shrine in Islamabad in 2005. The timing and target will create a significant backlash against groups that share the views of the Taliban and al Qaeda, and could open up the mainstream Sunni versus Wahhabist fault line that divides the Pakistani Sunni community.
Background info
http://www.newsline.com.pk/NewsJune2001/coverstory4.htm
The War Within?
Intra-Sunni conflict adds yet another dimension to Karachi’s war with itself.
By Massoud Ansari