At least 30 people have been killed and more than 70 injured in a suicide bomb attack on an ASHURA procession on M.A Jinnah road in Karachi.
Angry mourners and protesters set ablaze some 50 shops and two police stations. Dozens of cars including two police vehicles were also set ablaze. The police have arrested two suspects of the suicide attack. IG police Sindh says situation is under control.
Angry mourners also attacked media personnel, govt officials and security personnel in reaction but no one got hurt.
Today’s attack is the second in Karachi during the last 24 hours. The first attack occurred on Friday in which more than 22 Shia mourners were injured.
There are reports of violence across the city as irate marchers turned their anger on security forces and ambulance workers in the aftermath of the blast.
Pakistan’s security forces have been on high alert as Shia Muslims have been marking the holy day of Ashura.
On Sunday a suicide bomber hit a Shia march in capital Muzaffarabad of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Eight people were killed and dozens injured in the attack.
Hundreds of people had been marching through a particularly congested area of Karachi when the explosion occurred.
Television footage showed a large plume of smoke over the site of the blast and ambulances rushing to and from the scene.
Stringent security
The BBC’s Aleem Maqbool says an incident like this had been feared by the authorities. Stringent security measures had been put in place across the country over the last month.
These processions have been occurring in cities around Pakistan as Muslims mark the holy month of Moharram or Ashura - and there have been numerous attacks on them over the last few days, our correspondent says.
Today was the climax of the holy period, which commemorates the death of the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson.
Hundreds of civilians have been killed in bomb attacks in recent months as Pakistan’s army pursues an offensive against Taliban militants in South Waziristan and surrounding areas.
Pakistan also has a long history of violence between Sunni and Shia Muslims. (News sourced from: BBC)
