As received
-------------------
Ismailies threathened
June 17, 2009
Taliban has threatened the Ismaili Community of Pakistan to be bombed
if they continue their religious, organizational and social activities
in the country. The government of Pakistan has started tightening the
security of the community in the country. Upon the news on different
media channels in Pakistan, the Ismaili community could not offer even
their daily prayers in the prayer halls. The banned Tahreke Taliban
Pakistan, has threatened the community to be attacked in
Islamaabad, Rawalpindi, Chitral, Gilgit and other areas if they do not
shut their offices, mosques and social establishments immediately.
Law enforcement agencies have been advised to critically check the
vehicles going to Chitral and Gilgit areas which possibly can
transport explosive material to the regions. However, the densely
populated areas of the Ismailie community ironically lie along with
the Afghan border in Chitral and Yasin Valley. In the past, Chitralies
used to travel through Afghanistan during the times when Lawari Top,
the only access route to the Pakistan, closed in winters. There are
several passes that connect the ismaili populated areas with those of
the Taliban held including the Darkot Pass, which connects the Yasin
Valley, with Chitral and Afghanistan through Broghil Pass.
Another route that connects Ghizer District, mostly Ismaili
inhabitants, is through Batheyrate Nala to Tangir and Darel where the
sympathizers of Taliban exist. During the Red Masque Operation many
students from Darel and Tangir areas either were arrested or killed.
The residual effect of the Red Masque and Taliban sympathy exist in
the region.
The Direct threat could be through Karakuram Highway which can be used
to carryt arms and explosive to the region. At Besham, KKH has a
direct connection to Shangla and Sawat the trouble areas of the day.
During the good Taliban age, there were many people in Gilgit,
Chilas, Darel, Tangir who boasted to be the proud Taliban. In Tough
Taliban age most of them apparently went into hide. The famous
Taliban weekly News Paper, Zarb-i-Momin, an anti Ismaili journal, sold
like a hot cake in the regions including, Gilgit,Chilas, Bar Jungle.
In Afghanistan, Ismailies were ruthlessly attacked in during the
Taliban government. Rumours were circulated through Zarb-i-Momin that
Ismailies intend to establish an Ismilie State in the Baghlan
Province. In September 6,1998, the Taliban blasted the Eagle symbol
with dynamites and bombs because in their opinion the making of statue
of any living being falls under idolatry which is repugnant to the
basic principles of Islam.
Ismailies were tortured, properties were confiscated and their
religious prayers were closed. The Afghan Ismailies, mostly, Dari
speaking took refugee in Pakistan and Canada.The same Taliban funded
Zarb-i-Momin for the first time propagated that the Ismailies intend
to make their own state in the Gilgit Baltistan region. Religious
clerics reiterate the same propaganda in their speeches, articles and
audios in Pakistan until few days ago which could be one of the
reasons that Ismailies are under a great threat now.
The Shia Ismaili Muslims are a community of ethnically and culturally
diverse peoples living in over 25 countries around the world, united
in their allegiance to His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan (known to
the Ismailis as Mawlana Hazar Imam) as the 49th hereditary Imam
(spiritual leader), and direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him and his family). Ismailies considered respected citizen's
world wide for their economic contribution, peace loving behaviour and
perfect discipline.
Sources said that security also has been tightened at the offices and
other establishments of Ismailies in Gilgit and Chitral Areas.
Ismailis threathened and killed - senseless acts of terror!
Ismailis threathened and killed - senseless acts of terror!
Last edited by Admin on Thu May 14, 2015 12:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Ismailies threathened?
Well - now it becomes clearer and clearer why we will have the Ismaili Namaz as an option - especially if in places such as this we will not be able to go to Jamat Khanas - and we'll have to practice a form of taqiyya again.Admin wrote: Upon the news on different
media channels in Pakistan, the Ismaili community could not offer even
their daily prayers in the prayer halls. The banned Tahreke Taliban
Pakistan, has threatened the community to be attacked in
Islamaabad, Rawalpindi, Chitral, Gilgit and other areas if they do not
shut their offices, mosques and social establishments immediately.
Shams
Ya Aly Madad
Bhai i am Ali M Kanji from karachi and my eyes got opened far away after reading this...is this a true issue or just another fake ...
can u please answer this question...
Reagrds
Ali M Kanji
[email protected]
can u please answer this question...
Reagrds
Ali M Kanji
[email protected]
KARACHI: Six unidentified assailants on motorbikes opened fire on a bus belonging to the Ismaili community in Karachi’s Safora Chowrangi area near Dow Medical College, leaving at least 30 dead and 24 injured on Wednesday.
Initial reports revealed that the motorcyclists used 9mm pistols in the attack which rescuers claimed killed thirty persons and left two dozen injured. Police officials are yet to confirm the death toll.
Sources confirmed that the bus was attacked from all sides and many were left critically injured. Many women and children were aboard the bus during the attack.
As news of the incident was received, rescue teams, police and Rangers arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area. Rescue efforts were underway to shift the injured to a local hospital.
Many are also said to be in critical condition.
Initial reports revealed that the motorcyclists used 9mm pistols in the attack which rescuers claimed killed thirty persons and left two dozen injured. Police officials are yet to confirm the death toll.
Sources confirmed that the bus was attacked from all sides and many were left critically injured. Many women and children were aboard the bus during the attack.
As news of the incident was received, rescue teams, police and Rangers arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area. Rescue efforts were underway to shift the injured to a local hospital.
Many are also said to be in critical condition.
Last edited by Admin on Wed May 13, 2015 2:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
Twitter:
Terrible terrible news #Karachi bus attack on yet another minority and peaceful Agakhani community .. 40+ dead
Twitter AFP - France 24
https://twitter.com/FRANCE24/status/598 ... 60/photo/1
43 Shiites killed as gunmen attack bus in Karachi
Terrible terrible news #Karachi bus attack on yet another minority and peaceful Agakhani community .. 40+ dead
Twitter AFP - France 24
https://twitter.com/FRANCE24/status/598 ... 60/photo/1
43 Shiites killed as gunmen attack bus in Karachi
dawn.com/news/1181698
43 killed as gunmen attack bus carrying Ismaili passengers in Karachi
Agencies | Imtiaz Ali —
KARACHI: At least 43 people were killed and 13 others wounded on Wednesday when armed men opened fire inside a bus carrying members of the Ismaili community near Safoora Chowk in Karachi.
Sindh Police Inspector General Ghulam Haider Jamali said that 60 people were on board the bus when six gunmen entered and executed 43 passengers.
He added that the armed men used 9mm pistols in the massacre. The attackers managed to successfully flee after the attack.
Hospital sources have so far confirmed that the dead include 25 men and 16 women. Police officials said that there were no children among the casualties.
Rana M Razzaq, a security coordinator at the Memon Medical Center, told Dawn that, "One young girl hid and survived. Three or four others who were brought to the hospital have survived...the rest are all dead."
Attackers entered bus and fired
An eye-witness said around six to eight men riding three to four motorcycles opened indiscriminate fire on the bus. However, video footage of the pink bus does not show bullet holes on the body of the vehicle, suggesting that the attackers entered and killed the passengers.
Secretary Al Azhar Garden said that the bus leaves daily at 9am and has been operating for 10 years. Today it was attacked around 9:30 am, he said.
A rescue official quoted a victim as saying that the attackers were dressed in police uniforms.
Investigation Officer Tariq Jadoon told Dawn that some blue caps, which are used by security guards, have also been recovered from the crime scene along with 9mm casings.
A screenshot of the bus
A senior police official, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to the media, told Dawn that the attackers entered the bus and shot the passengers in the head.
“The gunmen stopped the bus and first fired at it from outside,” a policeman told AFP. “Then they entered inside the bus and open fire indiscriminately. After that they checked to see if anyone was left uninjured."
“The bus had a capacity of 52 passengers but it was overloaded and dozens of people were boarding it. Most of them were from (the) Ismaili community,” he added.
Ismaili community attacked: police
Pakistan has seen a rising tide of sectarian violence in recent years, particularly against Shias — of which the Ismaili community is a sub-sect — who make up around 20 percent of the country's predominantly Muslim population.
“The dead and injured have been shifted to the private Memon Medical Center nearby,” an official of the Ismaili National Council, a group which represents the community said.
The bus belongs to the Al-Azhar Garden Colony, which is an Ismaili community housing project in Karachi. It was on its regular route headed towards Federal B Area of Karachi.
CM Sindh, CCPO take notice
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah strongly condemned the firing incident and ordered immediate suspension of the area’s Station House Officer (SHO) and District Superintendent of Police (DSP).
Taking notice of the firing incident, Sindh IG Ghulam Haider Jamali directed Additional IG Ghulam Qadir Thebo to immediately submit a preliminary report in this regard, according to a press release.
He also directed security forces to facilitate emergency rescue services in shifting of injured to hospitals for treatment. He ordered the early arrest of criminals involved.
Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Haider Jamali speaking to media representatives after the deadly attack on a bus carrying Ismaili passengers. — DawnNews screengrab
Condemnations pour in
Condemnations poured in soon after today's deadly attack on the bus. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the incident. He sought a report into the incident and extended condolences over the loss of lives.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also strongly condemned the attack, according to a statement. Bilawal sympathised with the victims and urged for stern action against the terrorists.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan also strongly condemned the attack and expressed grief over the murder of citizens.
He added that this incident raises questions over the provincial government's performance pertaining to peace in the province. The government must provide complete medical facilities to the injured and take strict action against those responsible for this attack, he said.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain expressed deep grief and sorrow over the attack. He said this attack is the worst form of terrorism and those behind the attack are savages.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the attack.
43 killed as gunmen attack bus carrying Ismaili passengers in Karachi
Agencies | Imtiaz Ali —
KARACHI: At least 43 people were killed and 13 others wounded on Wednesday when armed men opened fire inside a bus carrying members of the Ismaili community near Safoora Chowk in Karachi.
Sindh Police Inspector General Ghulam Haider Jamali said that 60 people were on board the bus when six gunmen entered and executed 43 passengers.
He added that the armed men used 9mm pistols in the massacre. The attackers managed to successfully flee after the attack.
Hospital sources have so far confirmed that the dead include 25 men and 16 women. Police officials said that there were no children among the casualties.
Rana M Razzaq, a security coordinator at the Memon Medical Center, told Dawn that, "One young girl hid and survived. Three or four others who were brought to the hospital have survived...the rest are all dead."
Attackers entered bus and fired
An eye-witness said around six to eight men riding three to four motorcycles opened indiscriminate fire on the bus. However, video footage of the pink bus does not show bullet holes on the body of the vehicle, suggesting that the attackers entered and killed the passengers.
Secretary Al Azhar Garden said that the bus leaves daily at 9am and has been operating for 10 years. Today it was attacked around 9:30 am, he said.
A rescue official quoted a victim as saying that the attackers were dressed in police uniforms.
Investigation Officer Tariq Jadoon told Dawn that some blue caps, which are used by security guards, have also been recovered from the crime scene along with 9mm casings.
A screenshot of the bus
A senior police official, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to the media, told Dawn that the attackers entered the bus and shot the passengers in the head.
“The gunmen stopped the bus and first fired at it from outside,” a policeman told AFP. “Then they entered inside the bus and open fire indiscriminately. After that they checked to see if anyone was left uninjured."
“The bus had a capacity of 52 passengers but it was overloaded and dozens of people were boarding it. Most of them were from (the) Ismaili community,” he added.
Ismaili community attacked: police
Pakistan has seen a rising tide of sectarian violence in recent years, particularly against Shias — of which the Ismaili community is a sub-sect — who make up around 20 percent of the country's predominantly Muslim population.
“The dead and injured have been shifted to the private Memon Medical Center nearby,” an official of the Ismaili National Council, a group which represents the community said.
The bus belongs to the Al-Azhar Garden Colony, which is an Ismaili community housing project in Karachi. It was on its regular route headed towards Federal B Area of Karachi.
CM Sindh, CCPO take notice
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah strongly condemned the firing incident and ordered immediate suspension of the area’s Station House Officer (SHO) and District Superintendent of Police (DSP).
Taking notice of the firing incident, Sindh IG Ghulam Haider Jamali directed Additional IG Ghulam Qadir Thebo to immediately submit a preliminary report in this regard, according to a press release.
He also directed security forces to facilitate emergency rescue services in shifting of injured to hospitals for treatment. He ordered the early arrest of criminals involved.
Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Haider Jamali speaking to media representatives after the deadly attack on a bus carrying Ismaili passengers. — DawnNews screengrab
Condemnations pour in
Condemnations poured in soon after today's deadly attack on the bus. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the incident. He sought a report into the incident and extended condolences over the loss of lives.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also strongly condemned the attack, according to a statement. Bilawal sympathised with the victims and urged for stern action against the terrorists.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan also strongly condemned the attack and expressed grief over the murder of citizens.
He added that this incident raises questions over the provincial government's performance pertaining to peace in the province. The government must provide complete medical facilities to the injured and take strict action against those responsible for this attack, he said.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain expressed deep grief and sorrow over the attack. He said this attack is the worst form of terrorism and those behind the attack are savages.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the attack.
tribune.com.pk/story/885511/five-dead-24-injured-in-firing-attack-in-karachi/
LIVE: 47 dead, 24 injured in bus attack on Karachi's Ismaili community
By Faraz Khan / AFP / Web Desk / Munira Abbas
Published: May 13, 2015
KARACHI:
Six unidentified assailants on motorbikes opened fire on a bus belonging to the Ismaili community in Karachi’s Safora Chowrangi area, leaving at least 47 dead and 24 injured on Wednesday.
Initial reports revealed that the motorcyclists used 9mm pistols in the attack which killed 47 persons and left two dozen injured.
It was the worst sectarian attack since January 30, when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a mosque in the southern Shikarpur district, killing 61.
LIVE: 47 dead, 24 injured in bus attack on Karachi's Ismaili community
By Faraz Khan / AFP / Web Desk / Munira Abbas
Published: May 13, 2015
KARACHI:
Six unidentified assailants on motorbikes opened fire on a bus belonging to the Ismaili community in Karachi’s Safora Chowrangi area, leaving at least 47 dead and 24 injured on Wednesday.
Initial reports revealed that the motorcyclists used 9mm pistols in the attack which killed 47 persons and left two dozen injured.
It was the worst sectarian attack since January 30, when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a mosque in the southern Shikarpur district, killing 61.
bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-32717321
Karachi police say gunmen kill 43 on bus carrying Shias
At least 43 people have been killed and 20 injured in a gun attack on a bus carrying Ismaili Shia Muslims in the Pakistani city of Karachi, police say.
A police official said six gunmen on motorcycles, appearing to be from a banned extremist group, stopped the bus and fired indiscriminately.
The bus carrying about 60 was going to an Ismaili Shia place of worship.
Pakistan's Shia minority are the target of frequent sectarian attacks from Sunni militant groups.
No group has yet said it carried out the attack.
Provincial police chief Ghulam Haider Jamali said the attack appeared to be the work of the same group involved in recent drive-by shootings of senior police officials in Karachi.
He said the bus was on its way to an Ismaili Shia Muslim place of worship when gunmen boarded it in the Safoora Goth area of Karachi and fired at those on board.
The attackers are said to have escaped easily.
The Taliban and other Sunni Muslim extremist groups have targeted Shia Muslims in Pakistan in the past.
In the last few months, several mosques belonging to religious minorities have been bombed.
Pakistan is about 20% Shia and 70% Sunni. Ismaili Shias, in common with other Shia Muslims revere Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed.
Karachi police say gunmen kill 43 on bus carrying Shias
At least 43 people have been killed and 20 injured in a gun attack on a bus carrying Ismaili Shia Muslims in the Pakistani city of Karachi, police say.
A police official said six gunmen on motorcycles, appearing to be from a banned extremist group, stopped the bus and fired indiscriminately.
The bus carrying about 60 was going to an Ismaili Shia place of worship.
Pakistan's Shia minority are the target of frequent sectarian attacks from Sunni militant groups.
No group has yet said it carried out the attack.
Provincial police chief Ghulam Haider Jamali said the attack appeared to be the work of the same group involved in recent drive-by shootings of senior police officials in Karachi.
He said the bus was on its way to an Ismaili Shia Muslim place of worship when gunmen boarded it in the Safoora Goth area of Karachi and fired at those on board.
The attackers are said to have escaped easily.
The Taliban and other Sunni Muslim extremist groups have targeted Shia Muslims in Pakistan in the past.
In the last few months, several mosques belonging to religious minorities have been bombed.
Pakistan is about 20% Shia and 70% Sunni. Ismaili Shias, in common with other Shia Muslims revere Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed.
thehindu.com/news/international/gunmen-attack-a-bus-in-karachi-pakistan/article7200931.ece
News » International
ISLAMABAD, May 13, 2015
Updated: May 13, 2015 12:42 IST
41 Shia Ismaili Muslims killed after gunmen attack bus in Pakistan
At least 41 people from minority Shia Ismaili community were on Wednesday killed and several others injured after eight gunmen entered their bus and opened indiscriminate fire on the passengers in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, police said.
“Eight armed men on motorcycles opened fire on a bus at Safoora Chorangi, Gulistan-e-Johar area of Karachi, killing at least 41 passengers,” a police official said.
The death toll could further rise as about 20 others are seriously injured. The injured and dead were shifted to various hospitals by rescue workers.
The gunmen stopped the overloaded bus, entered inside it and open fire indiscriminately, the police said.
Nobody took the responsibility but the Taliban and groups like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi often carry out such attack.
Police and Rangers arrived at the scene and started manhunt.
More than 60 people were on the board the bus which was carrying the people of Ismaili community from Al-Azhar Garden area of the city to their place of worship near Aysha Manzil, police said.
Ismaili community is a branch of Shia Muslims and they are considered very peaceful people.
The attack came a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Kabul and declared that enemies of Afghanistan are also enemies of Pakistan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted:
Narendra Modi
✔
@narendramodi
The attack in Karachi is deeply saddening & utterly condemnable. Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased.
9:59 AM - 13 May 2015
We stand firmly with the people of Pakistan in this hour of grief. I wish all those injured a quick recovery.
10:00 AM - 13 May 2015
News » International
ISLAMABAD, May 13, 2015
Updated: May 13, 2015 12:42 IST
41 Shia Ismaili Muslims killed after gunmen attack bus in Pakistan
At least 41 people from minority Shia Ismaili community were on Wednesday killed and several others injured after eight gunmen entered their bus and opened indiscriminate fire on the passengers in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, police said.
“Eight armed men on motorcycles opened fire on a bus at Safoora Chorangi, Gulistan-e-Johar area of Karachi, killing at least 41 passengers,” a police official said.
The death toll could further rise as about 20 others are seriously injured. The injured and dead were shifted to various hospitals by rescue workers.
The gunmen stopped the overloaded bus, entered inside it and open fire indiscriminately, the police said.
Nobody took the responsibility but the Taliban and groups like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi often carry out such attack.
Police and Rangers arrived at the scene and started manhunt.
More than 60 people were on the board the bus which was carrying the people of Ismaili community from Al-Azhar Garden area of the city to their place of worship near Aysha Manzil, police said.
Ismaili community is a branch of Shia Muslims and they are considered very peaceful people.
The attack came a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Kabul and declared that enemies of Afghanistan are also enemies of Pakistan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted:
Narendra Modi
✔
@narendramodi
The attack in Karachi is deeply saddening & utterly condemnable. Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased.
9:59 AM - 13 May 2015
We stand firmly with the people of Pakistan in this hour of grief. I wish all those injured a quick recovery.
10:00 AM - 13 May 2015
geo.tv/article-184601-43-killed-in-attack-on-Ismaili-community-bus-in-Karachi
Posted: May 13, 2015 - 119 PKT | Comment
45 killed in attack on Ismaili community bus in Karachi
KARACHI: At least 45 people were killed and several injured after gunmen opened fire on a bus of the Ismaili community in Safoora Chowrangi area of Karachi.
Between 60 and 65 people were riding in the overloaded bus, which belonged to the Ismaili community. The bus was traveling towards Aisha Manzil when it was attacked, police said.
All the victims, which included both men and women, belonged to the minority community.
“At least six gunmen attacked the bus in the Safoora Goth area of Karachi,” said a senior police official.
“The gunmen stopped the bus and first fired at it from outside," said the policeman. "Then they entered inside the bus and open fire indiscriminately. After that they checked to see if anyone was left uninjured.”
Some of the injured were taken to the nearby Memon Hospital while others were taken to Aga Khan Hospital and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
IGP Sindh vows to apprehend attackers
Speaking to reporters, Inspector-General Police Sindh Ghulam Haider Jamali confirmed the death toll.
“According to initial reports from hospital sources, 43 people have been killed and 13 injured,” he said.
“About six attackers got off three motorcycles, got on the bus and used 9mm pistols to shoot the victims. All the bullet casings we have found are from 9mm pistols,” he said.
The Sindh police chief vowed to apprehend the attackers and bring them to justice.
PM summons report from Interior Ministry
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has taken notice of the incident and summoned a report from the Interior Ministry.
Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has ordered the Sindh police chief and DG Rangers Sindh to submit a report on the attack.
Taking notice of the incident, Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah has announced Rs500,000 for the families of the deceased and Rs 200,000 for the injured. The chief minister has also announced that medical treatment would be provided to the wounded free of cost.
Army chief General Raheel Sharif has cancelled a three-day scheduled trip to Sri Lanka following the attack, ISPR spokesman Maj-Gen Asim Bajwa said in a tweet.
"The attack on the Ismail community bus is an act of outright terrorism and an example of barbarism. This is a peaceful community which has played a role in building Pakistan. The security apparatus should act swiftly to apprehend the killers and punish them," said MQM leader Farooq Sattar speaking to Geo News.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan also condemned the attack.
Posted: May 13, 2015 - 119 PKT | Comment
45 killed in attack on Ismaili community bus in Karachi
KARACHI: At least 45 people were killed and several injured after gunmen opened fire on a bus of the Ismaili community in Safoora Chowrangi area of Karachi.
Between 60 and 65 people were riding in the overloaded bus, which belonged to the Ismaili community. The bus was traveling towards Aisha Manzil when it was attacked, police said.
All the victims, which included both men and women, belonged to the minority community.
“At least six gunmen attacked the bus in the Safoora Goth area of Karachi,” said a senior police official.
“The gunmen stopped the bus and first fired at it from outside," said the policeman. "Then they entered inside the bus and open fire indiscriminately. After that they checked to see if anyone was left uninjured.”
Some of the injured were taken to the nearby Memon Hospital while others were taken to Aga Khan Hospital and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
IGP Sindh vows to apprehend attackers
Speaking to reporters, Inspector-General Police Sindh Ghulam Haider Jamali confirmed the death toll.
“According to initial reports from hospital sources, 43 people have been killed and 13 injured,” he said.
“About six attackers got off three motorcycles, got on the bus and used 9mm pistols to shoot the victims. All the bullet casings we have found are from 9mm pistols,” he said.
The Sindh police chief vowed to apprehend the attackers and bring them to justice.
PM summons report from Interior Ministry
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has taken notice of the incident and summoned a report from the Interior Ministry.
Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has ordered the Sindh police chief and DG Rangers Sindh to submit a report on the attack.
Taking notice of the incident, Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah has announced Rs500,000 for the families of the deceased and Rs 200,000 for the injured. The chief minister has also announced that medical treatment would be provided to the wounded free of cost.
Army chief General Raheel Sharif has cancelled a three-day scheduled trip to Sri Lanka following the attack, ISPR spokesman Maj-Gen Asim Bajwa said in a tweet.
"The attack on the Ismail community bus is an act of outright terrorism and an example of barbarism. This is a peaceful community which has played a role in building Pakistan. The security apparatus should act swiftly to apprehend the killers and punish them," said MQM leader Farooq Sattar speaking to Geo News.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan also condemned the attack.
Mehreen Zahra-Malik ‏@mehreenzahra
Bus attacked belongs to non-profit Al-Azhar Garden "providing liveable community of low-cost housing" for #Ismailis in #Karachi #Pakistan
Tahir Khattak ‏@TahirKhattakk now51 seconds ago Punjab, Pakistan
We strongly condemn the Brutal Attack on #ISMAILIS ! TALIBAAN ARE ZALIMAAN !
Talbia Akbar Khan ‏@talbiaakbar now25 minutes ago
Shocking news: Terrorists hit a bus of passengers in #khi sprayed bullets leaving 42 dead.Victims r #Ismailis,minority Muslim grp
Ahmed Quraishi ‏@AQpk now39 minutes ago
A carnage against #AghaKhani #Pakistanis in #Karachi. May Allah bless the souls of our martyrs. #Ismailis are great Pakistanis. #Terrorism
Bus attacked belongs to non-profit Al-Azhar Garden "providing liveable community of low-cost housing" for #Ismailis in #Karachi #Pakistan
Tahir Khattak ‏@TahirKhattakk now51 seconds ago Punjab, Pakistan
We strongly condemn the Brutal Attack on #ISMAILIS ! TALIBAAN ARE ZALIMAAN !
Talbia Akbar Khan ‏@talbiaakbar now25 minutes ago
Shocking news: Terrorists hit a bus of passengers in #khi sprayed bullets leaving 42 dead.Victims r #Ismailis,minority Muslim grp
Ahmed Quraishi ‏@AQpk now39 minutes ago
A carnage against #AghaKhani #Pakistanis in #Karachi. May Allah bless the souls of our martyrs. #Ismailis are great Pakistanis. #Terrorism
kcra.com/news/working-to-curb-wrong-way-crashes/32988602
Gunmen kill 42 in bus attack in Pakistan
Bus was carrying men, women and children, police say
UPDATED 1:02 AM PDT May 13, 2015
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) —Gunmen on motorbikes attacked a bus carrying members of a religious minority in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Wednesday, killing 42 people and wounding at least 20 others.
The six attackers used 9mm pistols to shoot at the people on the bus, police said.
After the attack, the bus was driven into a hospital parking lot with bullet holes riddled all along its side, said Salma Wahid, an official at the Memon Medical Institute Hospital in Karachi.
Most of the people in the bus were unconscious and splattered with blood, she said.
The vehicle was carrying men, women and children from the Ismaili Muslim community, said Ahmed Chinoy, chairman of the Citizen Police Liaison Committee in Karachi, Pakistan's largest and most populous city.
Ismailism is a Shiite sect. Unlike some other Shiite groups, Ismailis hadn't been heavily targeted by militants in Pakistan previously.
"This is the first such incident of its kind towards the Ismaili community," said Zohra Yusuf, the chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. "Nothing on this scale has ever been seen before."
Most victims shot in the head
The gunmen appeared to have been well prepared for the attack. Most of the victims were shot in the head, said Pir Muhammad Shah, senior superintendent of police for East Karachi.
"This is disturbing in terms of the fact that the definition of who is a proper Muslim is shrinking as far as the extremist groups are concerned," Yusuf told CNN.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the killings.
The chief of Pakistan's powerful military, Gen. Raheel Sharif, canceled a planned trip to Sri Lanka because of the violence, a military spokesman said on Twitter.
Shiites are regularly the victims of sectarian attacks in Sunni-majority Pakistan.
A bombing in January at a Shiite mosque in the city of Shikarpur, which like Karachi is in Sindh province, killed scores of people. That attack was claimed by Jundallah, an extremist group that targets Shiites.
An attack in February on a Shiite mosque in the northwestern city of Peshawar killed at least 19 people and injured dozens of others. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for those killings
Gunmen kill 42 in bus attack in Pakistan
Bus was carrying men, women and children, police say
UPDATED 1:02 AM PDT May 13, 2015
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) —Gunmen on motorbikes attacked a bus carrying members of a religious minority in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Wednesday, killing 42 people and wounding at least 20 others.
The six attackers used 9mm pistols to shoot at the people on the bus, police said.
After the attack, the bus was driven into a hospital parking lot with bullet holes riddled all along its side, said Salma Wahid, an official at the Memon Medical Institute Hospital in Karachi.
Most of the people in the bus were unconscious and splattered with blood, she said.
The vehicle was carrying men, women and children from the Ismaili Muslim community, said Ahmed Chinoy, chairman of the Citizen Police Liaison Committee in Karachi, Pakistan's largest and most populous city.
Ismailism is a Shiite sect. Unlike some other Shiite groups, Ismailis hadn't been heavily targeted by militants in Pakistan previously.
"This is the first such incident of its kind towards the Ismaili community," said Zohra Yusuf, the chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. "Nothing on this scale has ever been seen before."
Most victims shot in the head
The gunmen appeared to have been well prepared for the attack. Most of the victims were shot in the head, said Pir Muhammad Shah, senior superintendent of police for East Karachi.
"This is disturbing in terms of the fact that the definition of who is a proper Muslim is shrinking as far as the extremist groups are concerned," Yusuf told CNN.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the killings.
The chief of Pakistan's powerful military, Gen. Raheel Sharif, canceled a planned trip to Sri Lanka because of the violence, a military spokesman said on Twitter.
Shiites are regularly the victims of sectarian attacks in Sunni-majority Pakistan.
A bombing in January at a Shiite mosque in the city of Shikarpur, which like Karachi is in Sindh province, killed scores of people. That attack was claimed by Jundallah, an extremist group that targets Shiites.
An attack in February on a Shiite mosque in the northwestern city of Peshawar killed at least 19 people and injured dozens of others. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for those killings
akdn.org/Content/1333
Aga Khan Shocked and Saddened by Attack on the Ismaili Community in Pakistan
Gouvieux, France, 13th May 2015 - His Highness the Aga Khan, Spiritual Leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims has expressed shock and sadness in the wake of an attack on a bus carrying members of the Ismaili community on their way to work in Karachi, Pakistan, that left 43 people dead.
“This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the families of those killed and wounded in the attack,” the Aga Khan said. The Aga Khan noted that the Ismailis are a peaceful global community living in harmony with other religious and ethnic groups in many countries across the world, including in the Muslim world.
The Ismaili leaders in Pakistan are currently involved in an emergency operation trying to help the survivors of the attack. Initial reports said unidentified gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying more than fifty members of the Ismaili community in Karachi’s Safora Chowrangi area on Wednesday (13th May). There were 16 women and 27 men among those killed. It was not immediately clear what the perpetrators’ motives were. They may have been political or sectarian in nature.
For more information please contact:
Kris Janowski
Head, Department of Communications
Aga Khan Development Network
[email protected]
Aga Khan Shocked and Saddened by Attack on the Ismaili Community in Pakistan
Gouvieux, France, 13th May 2015 - His Highness the Aga Khan, Spiritual Leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims has expressed shock and sadness in the wake of an attack on a bus carrying members of the Ismaili community on their way to work in Karachi, Pakistan, that left 43 people dead.
“This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the families of those killed and wounded in the attack,” the Aga Khan said. The Aga Khan noted that the Ismailis are a peaceful global community living in harmony with other religious and ethnic groups in many countries across the world, including in the Muslim world.
The Ismaili leaders in Pakistan are currently involved in an emergency operation trying to help the survivors of the attack. Initial reports said unidentified gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying more than fifty members of the Ismaili community in Karachi’s Safora Chowrangi area on Wednesday (13th May). There were 16 women and 27 men among those killed. It was not immediately clear what the perpetrators’ motives were. They may have been political or sectarian in nature.
For more information please contact:
Kris Janowski
Head, Department of Communications
Aga Khan Development Network
[email protected]
washingtonpost.com/world/gunmen-storm-an-overcrowded-bus-in-karachi-and-kill-more-than-40-shiite-muslims/2015/05/13/941c0882-f953-11e4-9030-b4732caefe81_story.html
Gunmen storm crowded bus in Karachi, killing at least 40
By Shaiq Hussain and Tim Craig May 13 at 6:13 AM
ISLAMABAD — Gunmen stormed an overcrowded bus in Pakistan’s largest city Wednesday, killing more than 40 Shiite Muslims in an attack that raises wider concerns about the reach of Islamist militants aligned with the Islamic State group.
According to preliminary information, at least five gunmen armed with 9 mm pistols targeted the bus as it was carrying Ismaili Muslims in the southern port city of Karachi. Some of the gunmen boarded the bus and began shooting passengers, including women and children, at point-blank range.
Ghulam Haider Jamali, a senior police official for Pakistan’s Sindh Province, said 43 people were killed while another 13 were injured.
A group pledging loyalty to the Islamic State, known as the Khorasan Province, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant Web sites and other forums.
It marks first time a major Islamic State-affiliated group has claimed direct links to bloodshed inside Pakistan, and suggested some factions have been drawn from the ranks of the Taliban that straddle the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
A photograph of the bus showed its windows remained intact, suggesting the gunmen went row-by-row executing passengers instead of shooting into it from the outside.
Several witnesses said the attackers left behind several letters. At least one of those letters made references to the Islamic State militant group, according to a police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The letter also threatened even more attacks against Shiites, who Sunni-extremist groups consider to be heretics.
In a separate statement e-mailed to reporters, the al-Qaeda-linked militant group also Jundullah claimed responsibly for the attack. Last year, Junduallah announced it was aligning with Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.
Ismaili Muslims consider their spiritual leader to be the Agha Khan family, who it believes are direct descendants of Islamic Prophet Muhammad’s son-in-law. Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, a billionaire philanthropist, is the current spiritual leader of Ismails. They are widely viewed as among the most progressive and educated residents of Pakistan, and have been integral parts of Karachi’s business community.
Gunmen storm crowded bus in Karachi, killing at least 40
By Shaiq Hussain and Tim Craig May 13 at 6:13 AM
ISLAMABAD — Gunmen stormed an overcrowded bus in Pakistan’s largest city Wednesday, killing more than 40 Shiite Muslims in an attack that raises wider concerns about the reach of Islamist militants aligned with the Islamic State group.
According to preliminary information, at least five gunmen armed with 9 mm pistols targeted the bus as it was carrying Ismaili Muslims in the southern port city of Karachi. Some of the gunmen boarded the bus and began shooting passengers, including women and children, at point-blank range.
Ghulam Haider Jamali, a senior police official for Pakistan’s Sindh Province, said 43 people were killed while another 13 were injured.
A group pledging loyalty to the Islamic State, known as the Khorasan Province, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant Web sites and other forums.
It marks first time a major Islamic State-affiliated group has claimed direct links to bloodshed inside Pakistan, and suggested some factions have been drawn from the ranks of the Taliban that straddle the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
A photograph of the bus showed its windows remained intact, suggesting the gunmen went row-by-row executing passengers instead of shooting into it from the outside.
Several witnesses said the attackers left behind several letters. At least one of those letters made references to the Islamic State militant group, according to a police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The letter also threatened even more attacks against Shiites, who Sunni-extremist groups consider to be heretics.
In a separate statement e-mailed to reporters, the al-Qaeda-linked militant group also Jundullah claimed responsibly for the attack. Last year, Junduallah announced it was aligning with Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.
Ismaili Muslims consider their spiritual leader to be the Agha Khan family, who it believes are direct descendants of Islamic Prophet Muhammad’s son-in-law. Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, a billionaire philanthropist, is the current spiritual leader of Ismails. They are widely viewed as among the most progressive and educated residents of Pakistan, and have been integral parts of Karachi’s business community.
bbc.com/news/world-asia-32717321
Pakistan gunmen kill 45 on Karachi Ismaili Shia bus
13 May 2015
At least 45 people have been killed and 13 injured in a gun attack on a bus carrying Ismaili Shia Muslims in the Pakistani city of Karachi, police say.
A police official said six gunmen on motorcycles had stopped the bus and fired indiscriminately at passengers.
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has condemned the attack and ordered an investigation.
Pakistani Taliban splinter group Jundullah and Islamic State (IS) both said they had carried out the attack.
It is the second deadliest militant attack in Pakistan this year after 62 Shia Muslims were killed in a suicide bombing in January.
Relatives of the victims have visited them in hospital
Analysis: M Ilyas Khan, BBC News, Islamabad
This is the first such attack on the Ismaili community in Pakistan, and it is shocking even by the standards of Karachi. The sheer numbers of casualties and the manner in which they were killed provide an uneasy contrast with the peaceful image of this Shia sect, which makes up a tiny proportion of Pakistan's mostly Muslim population.
One of the country's many militant groups has said it carried out the attack. But we are not likely to find out for sure who did it because Karachi is in the throes of an armed struggle between the military and a confusing array of political, religious and sectarian militants.
Ismailis consider the Aga Khan their hereditary spiritual guide. They mostly inhabit the Himalayan region of northern Pakistan, but also have a significant presence in Karachi where they run businesses and charities, and tend to use community-built accommodation and transport.
The attack is likely to cause some diplomatic tensions for Islamabad as the Aga Khan has been a major source of development funds. This may be one reason why both the prime minister and the army chief have set aside other engagements to head for Karachi.
About 60 people were on the bus when it was stopped in the Safoora Chowk area on its way to the Ayesha Manzil Ismaili centre, police said.
Relatives of some survivors said the gunmen were dressed as policemen.
They said the bus driver was killed and an injured passenger drove the bus to Memon Hospital Institute. Witnesses said it was riddled with bullets and the interior was covered in blood.
BBC Urdu service editor Aamer Ahmed Khan in Karachi said it seemed to be a well-planned attack.
He said the bus was making one of five daily scheduled trips between a gated community housing mainly Ismailis on the north-eastern outskirts and the main city.
The passengers were being taken to an Ismaili Shia Muslim place of worship, police said
Who are the Ismailis?
Ismaili Shias, in common with other Shia Muslims, revere Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed, but they also revere the Imam Ismail who died in 765 AD
They interpret the Koran symbolically and allegorically
They live in more than 25 different countries
Spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan is a philanthropist and business magnate. He gives his name to bodies including a university, a foundation, and the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
He has encouraged Ismailis settled in the industrialised world to contribute to those communities
The attack seems to have been well planned
One man at the hospital told AFP news agency: "I have come to collect the body of my young son. He was a student preparing for his first year exams at college."
Ismaili spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan said in a statement the "attack represented a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community".
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif described the killings as "a deplorable attempt to spread chaos in Pakistan".
A Jundullah spokesman said the group had carried out the attack because it considered the victims to be infidels. He threatened more attacks against Ismailis, Shias and Christians.
A statement purportedly from IS posted on jihadist Twitter accounts also claimed the attack.
Pakistan's army chief Gen Raheel Sharif has cancelled a three-day trip to Sri Lanka and is leading the investigation, the BBC's Urdu editor said.
Pakistan is about 20% Shia and 70% Sunni. Recent attacks on Shias in Pakistan include:
In January, an attack on a Shia mosque in the southern province of Sindh killed 60 people
In February, 20 people were killed in an attack on a Shia mosque in Peshawar
Suicide bombings outside two churches in Lahore in March killed 14 people and wounded nearly 80; days later, a bomb after Friday prayers wounded 12 outside a minority Bohra mosque in Karachi.
Karachi, Pakistan's commercial capital of about 20 million people, has long had a reputation for sectarian violence.
Pakistan gunmen kill 45 on Karachi Ismaili Shia bus
13 May 2015
At least 45 people have been killed and 13 injured in a gun attack on a bus carrying Ismaili Shia Muslims in the Pakistani city of Karachi, police say.
A police official said six gunmen on motorcycles had stopped the bus and fired indiscriminately at passengers.
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has condemned the attack and ordered an investigation.
Pakistani Taliban splinter group Jundullah and Islamic State (IS) both said they had carried out the attack.
It is the second deadliest militant attack in Pakistan this year after 62 Shia Muslims were killed in a suicide bombing in January.
Relatives of the victims have visited them in hospital
Analysis: M Ilyas Khan, BBC News, Islamabad
This is the first such attack on the Ismaili community in Pakistan, and it is shocking even by the standards of Karachi. The sheer numbers of casualties and the manner in which they were killed provide an uneasy contrast with the peaceful image of this Shia sect, which makes up a tiny proportion of Pakistan's mostly Muslim population.
One of the country's many militant groups has said it carried out the attack. But we are not likely to find out for sure who did it because Karachi is in the throes of an armed struggle between the military and a confusing array of political, religious and sectarian militants.
Ismailis consider the Aga Khan their hereditary spiritual guide. They mostly inhabit the Himalayan region of northern Pakistan, but also have a significant presence in Karachi where they run businesses and charities, and tend to use community-built accommodation and transport.
The attack is likely to cause some diplomatic tensions for Islamabad as the Aga Khan has been a major source of development funds. This may be one reason why both the prime minister and the army chief have set aside other engagements to head for Karachi.
About 60 people were on the bus when it was stopped in the Safoora Chowk area on its way to the Ayesha Manzil Ismaili centre, police said.
Relatives of some survivors said the gunmen were dressed as policemen.
They said the bus driver was killed and an injured passenger drove the bus to Memon Hospital Institute. Witnesses said it was riddled with bullets and the interior was covered in blood.
BBC Urdu service editor Aamer Ahmed Khan in Karachi said it seemed to be a well-planned attack.
He said the bus was making one of five daily scheduled trips between a gated community housing mainly Ismailis on the north-eastern outskirts and the main city.
The passengers were being taken to an Ismaili Shia Muslim place of worship, police said
Who are the Ismailis?
Ismaili Shias, in common with other Shia Muslims, revere Ali, son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed, but they also revere the Imam Ismail who died in 765 AD
They interpret the Koran symbolically and allegorically
They live in more than 25 different countries
Spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan is a philanthropist and business magnate. He gives his name to bodies including a university, a foundation, and the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
He has encouraged Ismailis settled in the industrialised world to contribute to those communities
The attack seems to have been well planned
One man at the hospital told AFP news agency: "I have come to collect the body of my young son. He was a student preparing for his first year exams at college."
Ismaili spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan said in a statement the "attack represented a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community".
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif described the killings as "a deplorable attempt to spread chaos in Pakistan".
A Jundullah spokesman said the group had carried out the attack because it considered the victims to be infidels. He threatened more attacks against Ismailis, Shias and Christians.
A statement purportedly from IS posted on jihadist Twitter accounts also claimed the attack.
Pakistan's army chief Gen Raheel Sharif has cancelled a three-day trip to Sri Lanka and is leading the investigation, the BBC's Urdu editor said.
Pakistan is about 20% Shia and 70% Sunni. Recent attacks on Shias in Pakistan include:
In January, an attack on a Shia mosque in the southern province of Sindh killed 60 people
In February, 20 people were killed in an attack on a Shia mosque in Peshawar
Suicide bombings outside two churches in Lahore in March killed 14 people and wounded nearly 80; days later, a bomb after Friday prayers wounded 12 outside a minority Bohra mosque in Karachi.
Karachi, Pakistan's commercial capital of about 20 million people, has long had a reputation for sectarian violence.
.
Those who lost their lives.
Following is the list of Members past away in recent Pakistan Bus Attack.
1. Nazar ali noor mohd kadiwal
2. Sayed nazar manpura
3. Jawaid dilawah manpura
4. Asmita saleem kadiwal
5. Liaquat noorji sunesara ladjipura
6. Nazar miyaji sunesara
7.arusha zulfiqar maknojia
8. Rajab ali kuwara
9.rizwan raheem badarpura
10. Alisha akbar maknojia.
11. Raheem mianji sherwa
12. Noor ali bhai
13. Abdul wala.
14. Sonia sultan.
15. Ramzan wali
16. Neelum rizwan
17. Ameena nazar sunesara
18. Shameem amir ali.
19. Kaku bhen rajab ali
20. Zubaida akbar.
21. Zubaida nazar ali.
22. Sultan qasim varsila.
Update about dead bodies. .
23. Wali bhen qasim dukka.
24. Rajab pir mohammed
25. Shamim shaukat
26. Yasmin nizar duka
27. Shaukat bhai ali mohd
28. Aneela zulfiqaar.
29. Arfa ameer ali
30. Zulfiqaar mohd mema.
31. Sani (saleemabad)
32. Sheeraz noor ali
33. Mohsin mansoor vakalia
34. Sohail sultan pir mohd
35. Shaukat nazar (KAS)
36. Imtiaz kareem maredia
37. Neezar akbar.
38. Nazim shamsuddin
39. Sherin abdul methan.
40. Hanif akbar
41. Sadurddin wali utha
42. Zaida Wali
Those who lost their lives.
Following is the list of Members past away in recent Pakistan Bus Attack.
1. Nazar ali noor mohd kadiwal
2. Sayed nazar manpura
3. Jawaid dilawah manpura
4. Asmita saleem kadiwal
5. Liaquat noorji sunesara ladjipura
6. Nazar miyaji sunesara
7.arusha zulfiqar maknojia
8. Rajab ali kuwara
9.rizwan raheem badarpura
10. Alisha akbar maknojia.
11. Raheem mianji sherwa
12. Noor ali bhai
13. Abdul wala.
14. Sonia sultan.
15. Ramzan wali
16. Neelum rizwan
17. Ameena nazar sunesara
18. Shameem amir ali.
19. Kaku bhen rajab ali
20. Zubaida akbar.
21. Zubaida nazar ali.
22. Sultan qasim varsila.
Update about dead bodies. .
23. Wali bhen qasim dukka.
24. Rajab pir mohammed
25. Shamim shaukat
26. Yasmin nizar duka
27. Shaukat bhai ali mohd
28. Aneela zulfiqaar.
29. Arfa ameer ali
30. Zulfiqaar mohd mema.
31. Sani (saleemabad)
32. Sheeraz noor ali
33. Mohsin mansoor vakalia
34. Sohail sultan pir mohd
35. Shaukat nazar (KAS)
36. Imtiaz kareem maredia
37. Neezar akbar.
38. Nazim shamsuddin
39. Sherin abdul methan.
40. Hanif akbar
41. Sadurddin wali utha
42. Zaida Wali
Last edited by Admin on Wed May 13, 2015 11:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
theguardian.com/world/2015/may/13/bus-attack-karachi-pakistan-gunmen-motorcycles
Dozens killed in Karachi bus attack
Gunmen on motorcycles open fire on and board vehicle in south Pakistan city
Karachi police attend the scene after armed men on motorcycles attacked bus passengers
Jon Boone in Islamabad
Wednesday 13 May 2015 14.54 BST
Last modified on Wednesday 13 May 2015 18.23 BST
Gunmen killed dozens of commuters in the Pakistani port city of Karachi on Tuesday after forcing their way onto a crowded bus carrying members of a minority Islamic sect.
Men on three motorbikes initially opened fire on the bus with automatic weapons as it was travelling through the streets of the troubled city.
After it had come to a stop they climbed aboard to continue the killing spree, with many of the unarmed civilians shot in the head at close range.
Six gunmen killed 45 people and injured another 13, the provincial police chief said, in one of the worst sectarian slaughters in the city for years.
There was confusion over which one of Pakistan’s myriad militant groups was behind the attack, with both Islamic State and a Pakistani Taliban splinter group rushing to claim responsibility.
Saleem, a surviving passenger who was rushed to hospital with arm and leg wounds, said the gunmen began systematically executing people after climbing onto the bus.
“I saw five armed men who started targeting passengers individually,” he said.
“They want to target us because we are not Muslims according to most people in Pakistan,” he said.
Rescue workers stand beside a bus attacked by gunmen in Karachi.
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Rescue workers stand beside a bus attacked by gunmen in Karachi. Photograph: Rehan Khan/EPA
The passengers were nearly all Ismailis, members of an international community of Muslims who follow the Aga Khan, the Europe-based spiritual leader and business tycoon.
Ismailis tend to be peaceful and progressive but as members of a branch of Shia Islam they are regarded as heretics by Pakistan’s various militant Sunni terrorist groups who have been active in Karachi for decades.
“This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the families of those killed and wounded in the attack,” the Aga Khan said in a statement.
Regular murders of individual Shias – often members of the medical profession – are punctuated by occasional mass killings, such as the March 2013 bombing of a Shia neighbourhood, which gutted blocks of flats and left nearly 50 people dead.
A hospital official in a blood stained shirt stands outside a hospital in Karach.
A hospital official in a blood stained shirt stands outside a hospital in Karachi. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters
Tuesday’s attack took place in the north-east of Karachi, a vast city of some 20m people, as residents of the largely Ismaili Al-Azhar Garden housing community were going about their daily routine of being dropped off at work in a distinctive bright pink bus.
Men, women and some children were on board, according to local media reports.
Naveed Shah, a passer-by, said the attackers forced the bus to a halt with gunfire before getting on board.
“There were six of them who started intense firing into the bus,” he said. “I heard women and children were shouting for help but no one dared to help them.”
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on jihadi Twitter accounts that described the Ismaili victims as “infidels”.
Printed leaflets found near the scene of the attack also claimed it was the work of Isis. The fliers said the attackers were avenging, among other things, the “torture of Sunni women by the army” and the “killing of our fighters by the Karachi police”.
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The leaflets resembled those found at the scene of the attack on US citizen Debra Lobo last month.
However, Jundullah, a Pakistani Taliban splinter group, also rushed to claim responsibility.
“These killed people were Ismaili and we consider them [non-Muslim]. We had four attackers. In the coming days we will attack Ismailis, Shias and Christians,” spokesman Ahmed Marwat told Reuters.
Although there have been a spate of incidents involving pro-Isis leafleting and graffiti in recent months – and some Pakistani Taliban militants have pledged allegiance to the group – most analysts have argued the Isis presence in Pakistan is still small.
The attack comes despite almost two years of a high-profile “operation” against criminal gangs and terrorists in the city led by the Rangers, a paramilitary force controlled by the army.
The government of Sindh, the province of which Karachi is the capital, immediately responded by announcing the suspension of senior police officials and promising financial compensation for the families of victims.
The country’s army chief also announced he was postponing a three day official visit to Sri Lanka.
Tuesday’s attack was the deadliest single sectarian attack in Pakistan since the suicide bombing of a Shia mosque in southern Shikarpur district killed 61 in January.
Dozens killed in Karachi bus attack
Gunmen on motorcycles open fire on and board vehicle in south Pakistan city
Karachi police attend the scene after armed men on motorcycles attacked bus passengers
Jon Boone in Islamabad
Wednesday 13 May 2015 14.54 BST
Last modified on Wednesday 13 May 2015 18.23 BST
Gunmen killed dozens of commuters in the Pakistani port city of Karachi on Tuesday after forcing their way onto a crowded bus carrying members of a minority Islamic sect.
Men on three motorbikes initially opened fire on the bus with automatic weapons as it was travelling through the streets of the troubled city.
After it had come to a stop they climbed aboard to continue the killing spree, with many of the unarmed civilians shot in the head at close range.
Six gunmen killed 45 people and injured another 13, the provincial police chief said, in one of the worst sectarian slaughters in the city for years.
There was confusion over which one of Pakistan’s myriad militant groups was behind the attack, with both Islamic State and a Pakistani Taliban splinter group rushing to claim responsibility.
Saleem, a surviving passenger who was rushed to hospital with arm and leg wounds, said the gunmen began systematically executing people after climbing onto the bus.
“I saw five armed men who started targeting passengers individually,” he said.
“They want to target us because we are not Muslims according to most people in Pakistan,” he said.
Rescue workers stand beside a bus attacked by gunmen in Karachi.
Rescue workers stand beside a bus attacked by gunmen in Karachi. Photograph: Rehan Khan/EPA
The passengers were nearly all Ismailis, members of an international community of Muslims who follow the Aga Khan, the Europe-based spiritual leader and business tycoon.
Ismailis tend to be peaceful and progressive but as members of a branch of Shia Islam they are regarded as heretics by Pakistan’s various militant Sunni terrorist groups who have been active in Karachi for decades.
“This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the families of those killed and wounded in the attack,” the Aga Khan said in a statement.
Regular murders of individual Shias – often members of the medical profession – are punctuated by occasional mass killings, such as the March 2013 bombing of a Shia neighbourhood, which gutted blocks of flats and left nearly 50 people dead.
A hospital official in a blood stained shirt stands outside a hospital in Karach.
A hospital official in a blood stained shirt stands outside a hospital in Karachi. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters
Tuesday’s attack took place in the north-east of Karachi, a vast city of some 20m people, as residents of the largely Ismaili Al-Azhar Garden housing community were going about their daily routine of being dropped off at work in a distinctive bright pink bus.
Men, women and some children were on board, according to local media reports.
Naveed Shah, a passer-by, said the attackers forced the bus to a halt with gunfire before getting on board.
“There were six of them who started intense firing into the bus,” he said. “I heard women and children were shouting for help but no one dared to help them.”
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on jihadi Twitter accounts that described the Ismaili victims as “infidels”.
Printed leaflets found near the scene of the attack also claimed it was the work of Isis. The fliers said the attackers were avenging, among other things, the “torture of Sunni women by the army” and the “killing of our fighters by the Karachi police”.
Advertisement
The leaflets resembled those found at the scene of the attack on US citizen Debra Lobo last month.
However, Jundullah, a Pakistani Taliban splinter group, also rushed to claim responsibility.
“These killed people were Ismaili and we consider them [non-Muslim]. We had four attackers. In the coming days we will attack Ismailis, Shias and Christians,” spokesman Ahmed Marwat told Reuters.
Although there have been a spate of incidents involving pro-Isis leafleting and graffiti in recent months – and some Pakistani Taliban militants have pledged allegiance to the group – most analysts have argued the Isis presence in Pakistan is still small.
The attack comes despite almost two years of a high-profile “operation” against criminal gangs and terrorists in the city led by the Rangers, a paramilitary force controlled by the army.
The government of Sindh, the province of which Karachi is the capital, immediately responded by announcing the suspension of senior police officials and promising financial compensation for the families of victims.
The country’s army chief also announced he was postponing a three day official visit to Sri Lanka.
Tuesday’s attack was the deadliest single sectarian attack in Pakistan since the suicide bombing of a Shia mosque in southern Shikarpur district killed 61 in January.
Two more messages of Condolences sent to this website
Terrorism in Karachi
On May 13th, 2015 Wasim Zaidi (not verified) says:
As a member of Central Organizing Committee MQMUSA, please accept our deepest condolences on the recent tragic incident in Karachi near #SafooraChowrangi.
We denounce the inhumane atrocity to the innocent children, and other injured. MQM stands with the Agha Khan community, our brothers and sisters of this faith. We shall continue to denounce any kind of terrorism in Pakistan and anywhere around the world.
Our founder and leader Mr Altaf Hussain has condemned this incident in the strongest manner and has demanded that the perpetrators must be caught and reprimanded severely."
Kind regards,
Wasim Zaidi
MQMUSA
310 936-6236
www.mqmusa.com
----------------------------------
new
Peacefull protest infront of Karachi Press Club
On May 13th, 2015 Fahad Jafri (not verified) says:
I Syed Fahad Hussain Jaffari Strongly Condemn the Attack on our Ismaili Community Bus in Karachi on early Morning at 05-13-2015 karachi Pakistan............. I would like to request to my brothers sisters that please do join us in a peacefull Protest against this act on our Ismailies.... And give message to Terrorsits that what ever happened we will never back off never ever...... Stand hands in hands with me join me Peacefull Protest against this Shamefull attack from Terrorists on childrens, Families, Ladies, and Aged people were on that bus......... I also request to every community that join this peacefull Protest on Karachi Press Club...... Its A message to terrorists that, No matter what happends we will always stand against them and we are always standing with our Ismaili Community ..............................
Regards
Fahad Jaffari
Cell # 0092-336-3218922
Karachi pakistan.
Protest at Karachi Press Club (4:30pm 05-13-2015)
Terrorism in Karachi
On May 13th, 2015 Wasim Zaidi (not verified) says:
As a member of Central Organizing Committee MQMUSA, please accept our deepest condolences on the recent tragic incident in Karachi near #SafooraChowrangi.
We denounce the inhumane atrocity to the innocent children, and other injured. MQM stands with the Agha Khan community, our brothers and sisters of this faith. We shall continue to denounce any kind of terrorism in Pakistan and anywhere around the world.
Our founder and leader Mr Altaf Hussain has condemned this incident in the strongest manner and has demanded that the perpetrators must be caught and reprimanded severely."
Kind regards,
Wasim Zaidi
MQMUSA
310 936-6236
www.mqmusa.com
----------------------------------
new
Peacefull protest infront of Karachi Press Club
On May 13th, 2015 Fahad Jafri (not verified) says:
I Syed Fahad Hussain Jaffari Strongly Condemn the Attack on our Ismaili Community Bus in Karachi on early Morning at 05-13-2015 karachi Pakistan............. I would like to request to my brothers sisters that please do join us in a peacefull Protest against this act on our Ismailies.... And give message to Terrorsits that what ever happened we will never back off never ever...... Stand hands in hands with me join me Peacefull Protest against this Shamefull attack from Terrorists on childrens, Families, Ladies, and Aged people were on that bus......... I also request to every community that join this peacefull Protest on Karachi Press Club...... Its A message to terrorists that, No matter what happends we will always stand against them and we are always standing with our Ismaili Community ..............................
Regards
Fahad Jaffari
Cell # 0092-336-3218922
Karachi pakistan.
Protest at Karachi Press Club (4:30pm 05-13-2015)
tribune.com.pk/story/885690/a-journey-cut-short-the-stories-behind-al-azhar-gardens/
A journey cut short: the stories behind Al-Azhar Gardens
By Oonib Azam / Saad Hasan
Published: May 13, 2015
KARACHI:
Forty-three lives were brutally cut short today when armed men entered a bus in Karachi and opened indiscriminate fire. Men women and children lost their lives at the hands of militants, most likely for being Ismaili – a peaceful Muslim sect.
They were all passengers on a special bus service provided by Aga Khan Housing Society’s Al-Azhar Gardens project.
With the death toll confirmed, the 43 victims have been identified and their stories, which will remain incomplete, are surfacing.
Outside the hospital where the wounded were taken, and where the bus was parked, scores of grim-faced young men formed a human chain to block everyone but families and doctors.
Emails and Facebook posts on Ismaili pages encouraged the community not respond or say anything that might further endanger them, Reuters reported.
Uzma Alkarim, a member of the Ismaili community, said the bus took commuters to work every day. The Ismailis had faced threats before, she said.
“Around six months ago, our community elders had alerted us to be careful because of security threats but things had calmed down recently,” she said.
Victims also included students, teachers and school staff.
Many students of the Agha Khan Higher Secondary School (AKHSS), aboard the Azhar Garden bus, never made it to school this morning.
According to a school teacher, two female students were supposed to take an aptitude test for intermediate, but were killed in the attack.
Meanwhile, Noman, an intern at the AKHSS administration, was also on the ill-fated bus and was meant to report to the school by 9:30 am, but he’s now admitted to the Agha Khan hospital with a bullet injury behind his ear.
Agha Khan Education Service Pakistan’s member Javed, also a passenger, was killed in the attack.
Today’s attack comes almost five months after a savage attack at the Peshawar Army Public School by the Taliban left over 150 people dead, most of the students.
Al-Azhar Gardens
A lot of thought went into the design and architecture of Al-Azhar Gardens but the one overriding factor was the cost of land. And that is why builders chose a mostly desolate area located off Super Highway for the project.
“The value of real estate was pretty low and the 30 acres these people could afford was available in KDA Scheme 33,” said one of the architects.
“These are very peaceful people. They have done so much for the country. It’s hard to believe someone could subject them to such brutality.”
A project of Aga Khan Housing Society, the society has been designed to accommodate 5,000 people belonging Gujrati–speaking Ismailis.
“All the residents can trace their roots to 26 villages in Indian Gujrat. After partition, these families moved to Pakistan and for decades, and most of them are involved in the business of selling milk in Karachi,” the architect said.
The gated colony was designed in such a way that it ensured cohesion among the people. Pathways, pedestrian walkways, gardens and clinic – everything was built within the walls.
It has been more than eight years since residents started moving in the colony and there are no signs of erosion, the architect said.
“They have maintained it excellently. Even the newest and most luxurious high rises in Karachi would have ugly modifications, the air-conditioning grills and leaking pipes. But none of this happens in Al-Azhar Gardens.”
A journey cut short: the stories behind Al-Azhar Gardens
By Oonib Azam / Saad Hasan
Published: May 13, 2015
KARACHI:
Forty-three lives were brutally cut short today when armed men entered a bus in Karachi and opened indiscriminate fire. Men women and children lost their lives at the hands of militants, most likely for being Ismaili – a peaceful Muslim sect.
They were all passengers on a special bus service provided by Aga Khan Housing Society’s Al-Azhar Gardens project.
With the death toll confirmed, the 43 victims have been identified and their stories, which will remain incomplete, are surfacing.
Outside the hospital where the wounded were taken, and where the bus was parked, scores of grim-faced young men formed a human chain to block everyone but families and doctors.
Emails and Facebook posts on Ismaili pages encouraged the community not respond or say anything that might further endanger them, Reuters reported.
Uzma Alkarim, a member of the Ismaili community, said the bus took commuters to work every day. The Ismailis had faced threats before, she said.
“Around six months ago, our community elders had alerted us to be careful because of security threats but things had calmed down recently,” she said.
Victims also included students, teachers and school staff.
Many students of the Agha Khan Higher Secondary School (AKHSS), aboard the Azhar Garden bus, never made it to school this morning.
According to a school teacher, two female students were supposed to take an aptitude test for intermediate, but were killed in the attack.
Meanwhile, Noman, an intern at the AKHSS administration, was also on the ill-fated bus and was meant to report to the school by 9:30 am, but he’s now admitted to the Agha Khan hospital with a bullet injury behind his ear.
Agha Khan Education Service Pakistan’s member Javed, also a passenger, was killed in the attack.
Today’s attack comes almost five months after a savage attack at the Peshawar Army Public School by the Taliban left over 150 people dead, most of the students.
Al-Azhar Gardens
A lot of thought went into the design and architecture of Al-Azhar Gardens but the one overriding factor was the cost of land. And that is why builders chose a mostly desolate area located off Super Highway for the project.
“The value of real estate was pretty low and the 30 acres these people could afford was available in KDA Scheme 33,” said one of the architects.
“These are very peaceful people. They have done so much for the country. It’s hard to believe someone could subject them to such brutality.”
A project of Aga Khan Housing Society, the society has been designed to accommodate 5,000 people belonging Gujrati–speaking Ismailis.
“All the residents can trace their roots to 26 villages in Indian Gujrat. After partition, these families moved to Pakistan and for decades, and most of them are involved in the business of selling milk in Karachi,” the architect said.
The gated colony was designed in such a way that it ensured cohesion among the people. Pathways, pedestrian walkways, gardens and clinic – everything was built within the walls.
It has been more than eight years since residents started moving in the colony and there are no signs of erosion, the architect said.
“They have maintained it excellently. Even the newest and most luxurious high rises in Karachi would have ugly modifications, the air-conditioning grills and leaking pipes. But none of this happens in Al-Azhar Gardens.”
mcclatchydc.com/2015/05/13/266488/islamic-state-affiliate-kills.html#storylink=cpy
Islamic State affiliate kills 43 followers of the Aga Khan in Pakistan
By Tom Hussain
McClatchy Foreign StaffMay 13, 2015
A Pakistani paramilitary troop stands guard near a bus targeted by attackers in Karachi, Pakistan, Wednesday, May 13, 2015. Gunmen killed dozens of people on Wednesday aboard a bus in southern Pakistan bound for a Shiite community center, in the latest attack targeting the religious minority, police said.
SHAKIL ADIL — AP
ISLAMABAD — Pakistani militants affiliated with the Islamic State executed 43 followers of the Aga Khan on Wednesday with pointblank gunshots to the head and chest in the southern port city of Karachi, police officials said.
The victims were among 60 people who were aboard a pink bus that had left a residential compound inhabited exclusively by members of the Aga Khan’s Ismaili faith, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, when it was intercepted about 9:30 a.m. by six gunmen on three motorcycles, according to Ghulam Haider Jamali, the police chief for Sindh province, where Karachi is located.
He said the attackers shot and wounded the driver to force him to stop the vehicle and then climbed on board, shooting each of the occupants in the head and chest with 9mm pistols – a style of execution chillingly reminiscent of the Pakistani Taliban’s massacre in December of 148 people, most of them children, at an army-run school in the northern city of Peshawar.
The only passenger not shot was a girl who hid under a seat; the wounded driver drove the survivors to a nearby hospital in the bullet-ridden vehicle, blood dripping from its exits.
The victims were all followers of hereditary spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan, a world-renowned philanthropist based in Paris. Most Ismailis live in Afghanistan, India, Iran, Pakistan and Tanzania, where they are known for their education and business prowess.
The previous Aga Khan, Prince Sadruddin, who died in 2003 after heading the Ismaili faith for 70 years, was an international statesman and horse-racing enthusiast who navigated his followers away from controversial politics, enabling them to live in peace in countries where sectarian tensions often result in bloodshed.
Ismaili followers have remained mostly safe during a decade of militant insurgency in Pakistan, which was founded in 1947 by an Ismaili-born attorney, Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
“This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community,” Prince Karim said in a statement posted on the website of his global charity, the Aga Khan Development Network.
Responsibility for the bus attack was claimed by Jundullah, an al Qaida-linked offshoot of the Pakistani Taliban that last November switched allegiance to the Islamic State’s Syria-based leadership.
Islamic State leaflets in English and Urdu, Pakistan’s national language, were left at the scene of the massacre by the gunmen, who fled unchallenged.
Jundullah specializes in high-profile attacks on Shiite Muslims and other religious minorities in Pakistan, including the January suicide bombing of a mosque in the central town of Shikarpur that killed 60 worshipers.
Islamic State affiliate kills 43 followers of the Aga Khan in Pakistan
By Tom Hussain
McClatchy Foreign StaffMay 13, 2015
A Pakistani paramilitary troop stands guard near a bus targeted by attackers in Karachi, Pakistan, Wednesday, May 13, 2015. Gunmen killed dozens of people on Wednesday aboard a bus in southern Pakistan bound for a Shiite community center, in the latest attack targeting the religious minority, police said.
SHAKIL ADIL — AP
ISLAMABAD — Pakistani militants affiliated with the Islamic State executed 43 followers of the Aga Khan on Wednesday with pointblank gunshots to the head and chest in the southern port city of Karachi, police officials said.
The victims were among 60 people who were aboard a pink bus that had left a residential compound inhabited exclusively by members of the Aga Khan’s Ismaili faith, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, when it was intercepted about 9:30 a.m. by six gunmen on three motorcycles, according to Ghulam Haider Jamali, the police chief for Sindh province, where Karachi is located.
He said the attackers shot and wounded the driver to force him to stop the vehicle and then climbed on board, shooting each of the occupants in the head and chest with 9mm pistols – a style of execution chillingly reminiscent of the Pakistani Taliban’s massacre in December of 148 people, most of them children, at an army-run school in the northern city of Peshawar.
The only passenger not shot was a girl who hid under a seat; the wounded driver drove the survivors to a nearby hospital in the bullet-ridden vehicle, blood dripping from its exits.
The victims were all followers of hereditary spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan, a world-renowned philanthropist based in Paris. Most Ismailis live in Afghanistan, India, Iran, Pakistan and Tanzania, where they are known for their education and business prowess.
The previous Aga Khan, Prince Sadruddin, who died in 2003 after heading the Ismaili faith for 70 years, was an international statesman and horse-racing enthusiast who navigated his followers away from controversial politics, enabling them to live in peace in countries where sectarian tensions often result in bloodshed.
Ismaili followers have remained mostly safe during a decade of militant insurgency in Pakistan, which was founded in 1947 by an Ismaili-born attorney, Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
“This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community,” Prince Karim said in a statement posted on the website of his global charity, the Aga Khan Development Network.
Responsibility for the bus attack was claimed by Jundullah, an al Qaida-linked offshoot of the Pakistani Taliban that last November switched allegiance to the Islamic State’s Syria-based leadership.
Islamic State leaflets in English and Urdu, Pakistan’s national language, were left at the scene of the massacre by the gunmen, who fled unchallenged.
Jundullah specializes in high-profile attacks on Shiite Muslims and other religious minorities in Pakistan, including the January suicide bombing of a mosque in the central town of Shikarpur that killed 60 worshipers.
ibtimes.co.uk/karachi-bus-massacre-who-are-ismaili-why-do-sunni-fanatics-want-them-dead-1501146
Karachi bus massacre: Who are the Ismaili and why do Sunni fanatics slaughter them?
Orlando Crowcroft
By Orlando Crowcroft Executive Editor - Geo-politics
May 13, 2015 15:35 BST
During sectarian murders and bloody attacks on minorities that have gripped Iraq and Syria over the past few years with the rise of al-Qaeda and Islamic State (Isis), the Ismaili Shia have largely been spared the bloodshed suffered by the Yazidis, Christians and the wider Shia community.
The sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam, has members in 25 countries in the Middle East, Africa and Europe, including communities in Egypt, southern Saudi Arabia, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is this last community, in Karachi, that was so brutally targeted on Tuesday (12 May) by Sunni fanatics leaving 43 dead.
Like the Shia, the Ismaili consider the first Muslim Imam after the Prophet Mohammed to be his son-in-law, Ali, with the lineage being passed down through the Prophet's family. That differs from Sunni Islam, under which the caliphate passed down from Mohammed's companions, not his family, until it ended with the fall of the Ottoman Empire.
“As the rule of law in many Middle East countries has broken down since the early-2000s, historical divisions have manifested themselves in increasingly violent terms”
Ismaili Shia differ from mainstream Shia in that they believe that the line of succession within Islam is still alive, in the form of the Aga Khan IV, the 49th Imam and a Swiss born British citizen. He is recognised as spiritual leader by some 20 million Ismaili Muslims worldwide.
As well as being the Ismaili caliph, the Aga Khan is a billionaire philanthropist and horse-racing fanatic whose private life has long been a source of intrigue.
Nowadays the Sunni-Shia split is more defined by geo-politics than it is by theology. Sunni Muslims make up majorities in Saudi Arabia and most of the Gulf with the exception of Bahrain, while the main Shia power base remains in Iran and increasingly Iraq, which has a Shia majority.
As the rule of law in many Middle East countries has broken down since the early-2000s, historical divisions have manifested themselves in increasingly violent terms.
Aga Khan 2
His Highness Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world's Shiite Ismaili Muslims(BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Syria is a Sunni majority country that has for decades been led by a Shia dictator, Bashar al-Assad, while Iraq is a Shia majority state that was for decades ruled by a Sunni dictator, Saddam Hussein.
With swathes of both nations now almost entirely lawless, resentment runs high.
Sunni extremist groups such as al-Qaeda and more recently the Islamic State see the Shia as heretics, and suicide attacks against Shia places of worship have become increasingly common as the political situation in Yemen, Iraq and Syria becomes increasingly chaotic.
So what role do the Ismaili play in this complex tapestry of religious violence? The answer is not a very large one. In many of the nations where the community has a presence it finds itself either oppressed – i.e. Saudi Arabia – or forced to live in constant fear of attack by Sunni fanatics.
In Karachi, where Tuesday's attack took place, the Ismaili community lives in a fortified residential compound which they only leave on organised buses to visit important shrines on pilgrimage trips or more commonly to work, which is what the 16 women and 27 men had been doing.
Like Sufi Islam, the Ismaili faith is known for its emphasis on balance and spiritual well-being and unlike mainstream Shia or Sunni Islam, it has never spawned militant or radical groups in any of the countries in which it exists.
This was a point that the Aga Khan was keen to make in his statement following the attacks this week.
"This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the families of those killed and wounded in the attack," he said.
And it is one reflected in the large street protests that took place in Karachi in support of the Shia community and against the Pakistani militant group that are thought to have carried out the attack.
Karachi bus massacre: Who are the Ismaili and why do Sunni fanatics slaughter them?
Orlando Crowcroft
By Orlando Crowcroft Executive Editor - Geo-politics
May 13, 2015 15:35 BST
During sectarian murders and bloody attacks on minorities that have gripped Iraq and Syria over the past few years with the rise of al-Qaeda and Islamic State (Isis), the Ismaili Shia have largely been spared the bloodshed suffered by the Yazidis, Christians and the wider Shia community.
The sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam, has members in 25 countries in the Middle East, Africa and Europe, including communities in Egypt, southern Saudi Arabia, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is this last community, in Karachi, that was so brutally targeted on Tuesday (12 May) by Sunni fanatics leaving 43 dead.
Like the Shia, the Ismaili consider the first Muslim Imam after the Prophet Mohammed to be his son-in-law, Ali, with the lineage being passed down through the Prophet's family. That differs from Sunni Islam, under which the caliphate passed down from Mohammed's companions, not his family, until it ended with the fall of the Ottoman Empire.
“As the rule of law in many Middle East countries has broken down since the early-2000s, historical divisions have manifested themselves in increasingly violent terms”
Ismaili Shia differ from mainstream Shia in that they believe that the line of succession within Islam is still alive, in the form of the Aga Khan IV, the 49th Imam and a Swiss born British citizen. He is recognised as spiritual leader by some 20 million Ismaili Muslims worldwide.
As well as being the Ismaili caliph, the Aga Khan is a billionaire philanthropist and horse-racing fanatic whose private life has long been a source of intrigue.
Nowadays the Sunni-Shia split is more defined by geo-politics than it is by theology. Sunni Muslims make up majorities in Saudi Arabia and most of the Gulf with the exception of Bahrain, while the main Shia power base remains in Iran and increasingly Iraq, which has a Shia majority.
As the rule of law in many Middle East countries has broken down since the early-2000s, historical divisions have manifested themselves in increasingly violent terms.
Aga Khan 2
His Highness Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world's Shiite Ismaili Muslims(BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Syria is a Sunni majority country that has for decades been led by a Shia dictator, Bashar al-Assad, while Iraq is a Shia majority state that was for decades ruled by a Sunni dictator, Saddam Hussein.
With swathes of both nations now almost entirely lawless, resentment runs high.
Sunni extremist groups such as al-Qaeda and more recently the Islamic State see the Shia as heretics, and suicide attacks against Shia places of worship have become increasingly common as the political situation in Yemen, Iraq and Syria becomes increasingly chaotic.
So what role do the Ismaili play in this complex tapestry of religious violence? The answer is not a very large one. In many of the nations where the community has a presence it finds itself either oppressed – i.e. Saudi Arabia – or forced to live in constant fear of attack by Sunni fanatics.
In Karachi, where Tuesday's attack took place, the Ismaili community lives in a fortified residential compound which they only leave on organised buses to visit important shrines on pilgrimage trips or more commonly to work, which is what the 16 women and 27 men had been doing.
Like Sufi Islam, the Ismaili faith is known for its emphasis on balance and spiritual well-being and unlike mainstream Shia or Sunni Islam, it has never spawned militant or radical groups in any of the countries in which it exists.
This was a point that the Aga Khan was keen to make in his statement following the attacks this week.
"This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the families of those killed and wounded in the attack," he said.
And it is one reflected in the large street protests that took place in Karachi in support of the Shia community and against the Pakistani militant group that are thought to have carried out the attack.
Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on terrorist attac
Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on terrorist attack on Ismailis in Pakistan
Ottawa, Ontario
13 May 2015
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement on the terrorist attack on Ismailis in Karachi, Pakistan, that killed many people and injured several more:
“Canada condemns the cowardly terrorist attack on a bus carrying Shi’a Ismaili Muslims in Karachi.
“It is particularly chilling that gunmen opened fire indiscriminately, murdering many Ismailis regardless of their gender or age. It is an affront to everyone who cherishes religious freedom. We urge the Government of Pakistan to bring the perpetrators to justice and to ensure that all religious minorities in the country are protected and their religious freedom guaranteed.
“On behalf of all Canadians, Laureen and I offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who perished in this murderous attack. We also offer our heartfelt prayers that those injured may have a speedy recovery.
“I have worked closely with His Highness the Aga Khan over the years and know first-hand of the peaceful nature of the Shi’a Ismaili community here in Canada and around the world. We mourn with His Highness and the entire Shi’a Ismaili Imamat who have consistently stood for peace, pluralism and religious freedom.”
- See more at: pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2015/05/13/statement-prime-minister-canada-terrorist-attack-ismailis-pakistan#sthash.2bVlx5xo.dpuf
Ottawa, Ontario
13 May 2015
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement on the terrorist attack on Ismailis in Karachi, Pakistan, that killed many people and injured several more:
“Canada condemns the cowardly terrorist attack on a bus carrying Shi’a Ismaili Muslims in Karachi.
“It is particularly chilling that gunmen opened fire indiscriminately, murdering many Ismailis regardless of their gender or age. It is an affront to everyone who cherishes religious freedom. We urge the Government of Pakistan to bring the perpetrators to justice and to ensure that all religious minorities in the country are protected and their religious freedom guaranteed.
“On behalf of all Canadians, Laureen and I offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who perished in this murderous attack. We also offer our heartfelt prayers that those injured may have a speedy recovery.
“I have worked closely with His Highness the Aga Khan over the years and know first-hand of the peaceful nature of the Shi’a Ismaili community here in Canada and around the world. We mourn with His Highness and the entire Shi’a Ismaili Imamat who have consistently stood for peace, pluralism and religious freedom.”
- See more at: pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2015/05/13/statement-prime-minister-canada-terrorist-attack-ismailis-pakistan#sthash.2bVlx5xo.dpuf
presstv.ir/Detail/2015/05/14/410959/Pakistan-Karachi-UN-ISIL
The UN chief has slammed a deadly terrorist attack on Shia pilgrims in the Pakistani city of Karachi, calling on Islamabad to punish the perpetrators.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Islamabad must take firm measures to protect religious minorities in the country.
On Wednesday morning, gunmen opened indiscriminate fire on a bus carrying Shias in Karachi, killing over forty people traveling on the vehicle. The victims included many women and children.
A senior police official, requesting anonymity, said the incident took place in the Safoora Chowk area of Karachi, located 1,146 kilometers (712 miles) east of the capital, Islamabad, on Wednesday, when a group of around eight assailants stopped the bus and opened indiscriminate fire on passengers.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, Marziyeh Afkham, also slammed the deadly attack on a religious minority group and described the acts of terrorists and extreme fanatics as not only being inhumane, but also against religious teachings taught by the religion of Islam.
Pakistani civil society activists shout slogans during a protest against the killing of the Shia Muslims by gunmen in the city of Karachi, May 13, 2015. (© AFP)
ISIL Takfiri terrorists have claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.
A total of 22 people were also killed in a gun-and-bomb attack on a Shia mosque packed with worshipers in the northeastern city of Peshawar on February 13.
More than 60 people were also wounded during the attack, for which the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan terrorist network claimed responsibility.
Also on January 30, another explosion hit a Shia mosque and religious center in southern Pakistan, killing 61 people who were performing Friday Prayers in Shikarpur district of Sindh Province. Militants belonging to the Jundallah terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack.
XLS/HJL/HMV
The UN chief has slammed a deadly terrorist attack on Shia pilgrims in the Pakistani city of Karachi, calling on Islamabad to punish the perpetrators.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Islamabad must take firm measures to protect religious minorities in the country.
On Wednesday morning, gunmen opened indiscriminate fire on a bus carrying Shias in Karachi, killing over forty people traveling on the vehicle. The victims included many women and children.
A senior police official, requesting anonymity, said the incident took place in the Safoora Chowk area of Karachi, located 1,146 kilometers (712 miles) east of the capital, Islamabad, on Wednesday, when a group of around eight assailants stopped the bus and opened indiscriminate fire on passengers.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, Marziyeh Afkham, also slammed the deadly attack on a religious minority group and described the acts of terrorists and extreme fanatics as not only being inhumane, but also against religious teachings taught by the religion of Islam.
Pakistani civil society activists shout slogans during a protest against the killing of the Shia Muslims by gunmen in the city of Karachi, May 13, 2015. (© AFP)
ISIL Takfiri terrorists have claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.
A total of 22 people were also killed in a gun-and-bomb attack on a Shia mosque packed with worshipers in the northeastern city of Peshawar on February 13.
More than 60 people were also wounded during the attack, for which the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan terrorist network claimed responsibility.
Also on January 30, another explosion hit a Shia mosque and religious center in southern Pakistan, killing 61 people who were performing Friday Prayers in Shikarpur district of Sindh Province. Militants belonging to the Jundallah terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack.
XLS/HJL/HMV
theglobeandmail.com/news/world/motorcycle-gunmen-kill-41-in-bus-attack-in-pakistans-karachi---police/article24414304/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=Referrer:+Social+Network+/+Media&utm_campaign=Shared+Web+Article+Links
Aga Khan describes Karachi attack as ‘senseless act of violence’
AFFAN CHOWDHRY
The Globe and Mail
Published Wednesday, May. 13 2015, 2:43 AM EDT
he Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims around the world, has expressed shock and sadness at a bus attack in Pakistan that targeted members of his minority community on Wednesday.
Six militants disguised in police uniforms stopped a bus in the port city of Karachi carrying about 60 Ismaili Muslims and started firing. Passengers were told to bow their heads before being shot. At least 45 were killed and 13 were wounded.
“This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the families of those killed and wounded in the attack,” the Aga Khan said in a statement.
The Aga Khan, an honorary Canadian citizen who delivered a speech to both houses of the Canadian parliament in February 2014 and appeared with Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the opening of the Aga Khan Museum later the same year in Toronto, went on to say that Ismailis are a peaceful global community living in harmony with other religious and ethnic groups.
The bus attack is the first time Ismaili Muslims have been targeted in Pakistan and is sure to send shockwaves through the global Ismaili community of 15-million people living in 25 countries, including a significant population that settled in Canada after being forced to leave Uganda in the 1970s.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the bus attack and ordered an investigation.
Pakistan is in the midst of a battle on several fronts: trying to defeat the Pakistan Taliban in the tribal areas of the northwest, restoring order to its violence-plagued commercial hub of Karachi, and stopping sectarian violence in which Sunni militant groups carry out deadly attacks against the country’s religious minorities.
Ismaili Muslims belong to the Shia branch of Islam. In Pakistan, Shia Muslims represent about 20 per cent of the population and have come under increasing attacks by Sunni militant groups that accuse them of being infidels.
Shia mosques have been bombed in recent months killing nearly 100 and in the country’s Balochistan province the Hazara Shia minority has faced a campaign of bombings that has killed hundreds in recent years and drawn the attention of global human rights groups.
The bus targeted on Tuesday was used to pick up members of the Ismaili community for work on a daily basis and would drop them off at the end of the working day.
“It was on its usual rounds when this attack happened. People were just getting on with their normal lives, out to earn a living,” said Ismaili community member Ayesha Aly.
Gunmen fled after firing indiscriminately at bus passengers using 9 mm pistols. An injured passenger reportedly managed to drive the bullet-riddled bus to a hospital. A splinter group of the Pakistan Taliban has claimed responsibility.
“These killed people were Ismaili and we consider them kafir (non-Muslim). We had four attackers. In the coming days we will attack Ismailis, [Shias] and Christians,” said Jundullah spokesman Ahmed Marwat.
With reports from Associated Press and Reuters
Aga Khan describes Karachi attack as ‘senseless act of violence’
AFFAN CHOWDHRY
The Globe and Mail
Published Wednesday, May. 13 2015, 2:43 AM EDT
he Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims around the world, has expressed shock and sadness at a bus attack in Pakistan that targeted members of his minority community on Wednesday.
Six militants disguised in police uniforms stopped a bus in the port city of Karachi carrying about 60 Ismaili Muslims and started firing. Passengers were told to bow their heads before being shot. At least 45 were killed and 13 were wounded.
“This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the families of those killed and wounded in the attack,” the Aga Khan said in a statement.
The Aga Khan, an honorary Canadian citizen who delivered a speech to both houses of the Canadian parliament in February 2014 and appeared with Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the opening of the Aga Khan Museum later the same year in Toronto, went on to say that Ismailis are a peaceful global community living in harmony with other religious and ethnic groups.
The bus attack is the first time Ismaili Muslims have been targeted in Pakistan and is sure to send shockwaves through the global Ismaili community of 15-million people living in 25 countries, including a significant population that settled in Canada after being forced to leave Uganda in the 1970s.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the bus attack and ordered an investigation.
Pakistan is in the midst of a battle on several fronts: trying to defeat the Pakistan Taliban in the tribal areas of the northwest, restoring order to its violence-plagued commercial hub of Karachi, and stopping sectarian violence in which Sunni militant groups carry out deadly attacks against the country’s religious minorities.
Ismaili Muslims belong to the Shia branch of Islam. In Pakistan, Shia Muslims represent about 20 per cent of the population and have come under increasing attacks by Sunni militant groups that accuse them of being infidels.
Shia mosques have been bombed in recent months killing nearly 100 and in the country’s Balochistan province the Hazara Shia minority has faced a campaign of bombings that has killed hundreds in recent years and drawn the attention of global human rights groups.
The bus targeted on Tuesday was used to pick up members of the Ismaili community for work on a daily basis and would drop them off at the end of the working day.
“It was on its usual rounds when this attack happened. People were just getting on with their normal lives, out to earn a living,” said Ismaili community member Ayesha Aly.
Gunmen fled after firing indiscriminately at bus passengers using 9 mm pistols. An injured passenger reportedly managed to drive the bullet-riddled bus to a hospital. A splinter group of the Pakistan Taliban has claimed responsibility.
“These killed people were Ismaili and we consider them kafir (non-Muslim). We had four attackers. In the coming days we will attack Ismailis, [Shias] and Christians,” said Jundullah spokesman Ahmed Marwat.
With reports from Associated Press and Reuters
Admin wrote
"Saleem, a surviving passenger who was rushed to hospital with arm and leg wounds, said the gunmen began systematically executing people after climbing onto the bus.
“I saw five armed men who started targeting passengers individually,” he said.
“They want to target us because we are not Muslims according to most people in Pakistan,” he said.
Rescue workers stand beside a bus attacked by gunmen in Karachi.
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Rescue workers stand beside a bus attacked by gunmen in Karachi. Photograph: Rehan Khan/EPA
The passengers were nearly all Ismailis, members of an international community of Muslims who follow the Aga Khan, the Europe-based spiritual leader and business tycoon. "
The underlying cause of all hatred, narrowly defining who is a Muslim and dehumanizing the rest. This is the result of the philosophy that you follow zznoor, There is no religion in this world, that is worse then Wahhabi Islam.
"Saleem, a surviving passenger who was rushed to hospital with arm and leg wounds, said the gunmen began systematically executing people after climbing onto the bus.
“I saw five armed men who started targeting passengers individually,” he said.
“They want to target us because we are not Muslims according to most people in Pakistan,” he said.
Rescue workers stand beside a bus attacked by gunmen in Karachi.
Rescue workers stand beside a bus attacked by gunmen in Karachi. Photograph: Rehan Khan/EPA
The passengers were nearly all Ismailis, members of an international community of Muslims who follow the Aga Khan, the Europe-based spiritual leader and business tycoon. "
The underlying cause of all hatred, narrowly defining who is a Muslim and dehumanizing the rest. This is the result of the philosophy that you follow zznoor, There is no religion in this world, that is worse then Wahhabi Islam.
KARACHI:
Just a day after the deadly attack on Karachi’s Ismaili community, the death toll rose to 45 as two critically injured succumbed to their injuries, Rizwan Jamil, communications officer for the Ismaili council of Pakistan confirmed Thursday.
The deaths come after funeral prayers for the 43 deceased were conducted in the city earlier today, with volunteers and scouts wearing their uniforms; which is only required during crucial moments in the community.
PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
The funeral of one victim, Sani Sultan Ali from Salimabad took place on Wednesday evening.
PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
People dispersed after the funeral, while children sat in silence in the courtyard inside the colony. Men departed for the graveyard. The Ismaili community will conduct prayers for the martyrs in their evening prayers.
President Aga Khan Council for Pakistan Iqbal Walji expressed his gratitude to the government, Army, political leaders and general public for their support.
Walji also acknowledged the assurance given by the authorities to ensure the safety and security of the Ismaili community in the country.
Culprits hail from Afghanistan
Initial investigation reports revealed that the culprits hailed from Afghanistan.
PHOTO: AFP
On the day of the attack, in which 45 persons including women and children were killed, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said that some clues were found at the crime scene but was unable to share these due to security reasons.
Read: Macabre violence: Ugly face of terror
The men are said to hail from Afghanistan and allegedly ran a small hotel business in the city. A search operation is under way and investigation continues in efforts to bring the culprits to justice.
According to forensics experts, the attackers used multiple types of weapons, including 9mm pistols and sub machine guns.
PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
The whole nation was saddened by the attack in which three of the assailants climbed aboard the alAzhar Gardens bus and opened fire at the 51 passengers on board the bus.
“People of Sindh, particularly Karachi think it is an attack on their home,” Sharjeel Memon said when he addressed the media on Wednesday.
PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
Condolences poured in from across the world as rescue efforts and investigation and search operations commenced.
Investigation has led to the identification of the culprits who were reportedly dressed in western attire and fled the scene on two motorbikes.
A day of mourning is also being observed across the province.
“The government has failed the Ismailis”
Addressing the media, Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui ascertained that yesterday’s incident was proof that a lot is yet to be done in the country.
“The government failed to provide security to this community,” he said.
PHOTO: AFP
He added that “the incident has impacted everyone in the country and that the party would fight for the rights of every citizen.”
“Sindh CM should hand in resignation”
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain in a statement urged Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to resign from his post on Thursday.
Read: Safora massacre: Important leads found from crime scene, says Sharjeel
On the day of the attack, CM Sindh while addressing the media confirmed the suspension of SHO and DSP of the area.
“This is an unprecedented incident and we will find those responsible,” he said.
PHOTO: AFP
He also added that “The pamphlet shows that terrorists have carried out the attack and they will not be left at any cost.”
He ordered for an inquiry into the incident and sought a report within a week.
Further, the CM also announced compensation for victims of the bus attack in Karachi, promising Rs0.5m for victims’ families.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/886128/safo ... n-reveals/
Just a day after the deadly attack on Karachi’s Ismaili community, the death toll rose to 45 as two critically injured succumbed to their injuries, Rizwan Jamil, communications officer for the Ismaili council of Pakistan confirmed Thursday.
The deaths come after funeral prayers for the 43 deceased were conducted in the city earlier today, with volunteers and scouts wearing their uniforms; which is only required during crucial moments in the community.
PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
The funeral of one victim, Sani Sultan Ali from Salimabad took place on Wednesday evening.
PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
People dispersed after the funeral, while children sat in silence in the courtyard inside the colony. Men departed for the graveyard. The Ismaili community will conduct prayers for the martyrs in their evening prayers.
President Aga Khan Council for Pakistan Iqbal Walji expressed his gratitude to the government, Army, political leaders and general public for their support.
Walji also acknowledged the assurance given by the authorities to ensure the safety and security of the Ismaili community in the country.
Culprits hail from Afghanistan
Initial investigation reports revealed that the culprits hailed from Afghanistan.
PHOTO: AFP
On the day of the attack, in which 45 persons including women and children were killed, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said that some clues were found at the crime scene but was unable to share these due to security reasons.
Read: Macabre violence: Ugly face of terror
The men are said to hail from Afghanistan and allegedly ran a small hotel business in the city. A search operation is under way and investigation continues in efforts to bring the culprits to justice.
According to forensics experts, the attackers used multiple types of weapons, including 9mm pistols and sub machine guns.
PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
The whole nation was saddened by the attack in which three of the assailants climbed aboard the alAzhar Gardens bus and opened fire at the 51 passengers on board the bus.
“People of Sindh, particularly Karachi think it is an attack on their home,” Sharjeel Memon said when he addressed the media on Wednesday.
PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
Condolences poured in from across the world as rescue efforts and investigation and search operations commenced.
Investigation has led to the identification of the culprits who were reportedly dressed in western attire and fled the scene on two motorbikes.
A day of mourning is also being observed across the province.
“The government has failed the Ismailis”
Addressing the media, Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui ascertained that yesterday’s incident was proof that a lot is yet to be done in the country.
“The government failed to provide security to this community,” he said.
PHOTO: AFP
He added that “the incident has impacted everyone in the country and that the party would fight for the rights of every citizen.”
“Sindh CM should hand in resignation”
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain in a statement urged Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to resign from his post on Thursday.
Read: Safora massacre: Important leads found from crime scene, says Sharjeel
On the day of the attack, CM Sindh while addressing the media confirmed the suspension of SHO and DSP of the area.
“This is an unprecedented incident and we will find those responsible,” he said.
PHOTO: AFP
He also added that “The pamphlet shows that terrorists have carried out the attack and they will not be left at any cost.”
He ordered for an inquiry into the incident and sought a report within a week.
Further, the CM also announced compensation for victims of the bus attack in Karachi, promising Rs0.5m for victims’ families.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/886128/safo ... n-reveals/
en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/05/15/pakistani_condemn_terror_attack_on_ismailis/1144416
Pakistani Catholics, Muslims condemn terror attack on Ismailis ‎
The National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan (CBCP) has condemned the killing of innocent people on the basis of their faith as unacceptable and called on the government to investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. The NCJP was reacting to Wednesday’s terror attack in a bus carrying Ismaili Shias in Karachi, in which 47 people were killed. The attack has been claimed by an Islamic State group. Catholic organizations in Sindh province announced three days of mourning, to express solidarity with the victims. Fr Nasir John, a priest in Karachi, condemned the incident saying Catholics stood by the Ismaili community. “This is an attack on the integrity of Pakistan. No one is safe in Pakistan; anyone can kill. It is time for the nation to take seriously the issue of security," he said.
Prince Karim Aga Khan, spiritual Leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims said, “This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the families of those killed and wounded in the attack.” The leaders of the Ismaili Shias and Hazara communities expressed "deep shock" over what happened. Pakistan held a day of national mourning on Thursday, while at the Al Azhar Garden Jamaat Khana – an Ismaili Shrine in Karachi – a mass funeral was held for the victims. At present, 150,000 Ismailis live in Pakistan, most of them in the port city of Karachi.
Pakistani Catholics, Muslims condemn terror attack on Ismailis ‎
The National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan (CBCP) has condemned the killing of innocent people on the basis of their faith as unacceptable and called on the government to investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. The NCJP was reacting to Wednesday’s terror attack in a bus carrying Ismaili Shias in Karachi, in which 47 people were killed. The attack has been claimed by an Islamic State group. Catholic organizations in Sindh province announced three days of mourning, to express solidarity with the victims. Fr Nasir John, a priest in Karachi, condemned the incident saying Catholics stood by the Ismaili community. “This is an attack on the integrity of Pakistan. No one is safe in Pakistan; anyone can kill. It is time for the nation to take seriously the issue of security," he said.
Prince Karim Aga Khan, spiritual Leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims said, “This attack represents a senseless act of violence against a peaceful community. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and the families of those killed and wounded in the attack.” The leaders of the Ismaili Shias and Hazara communities expressed "deep shock" over what happened. Pakistan held a day of national mourning on Thursday, while at the Al Azhar Garden Jamaat Khana – an Ismaili Shrine in Karachi – a mass funeral was held for the victims. At present, 150,000 Ismailis live in Pakistan, most of them in the port city of Karachi.