Sufi Shrine in Pakistan is Hit by a Lethal Double Bombing

Thursday evening in Pakistan, a double explosion, almost simultaneously, hit a crowded Sufi shrine in the main port city of Karachi. The explosion, which may have been the work of suicide bombers, killed seven people and wounded 65. It was at the grave of the Sufi saint Abdullah Shah Ghazi. It is said to be a strike at Sufism by hard-line militants. Sufism is explained as, "the moderate, more flexible blend of Islam practiced by most Pakistanis." The attack came three months after an attack at one of the country's most important Sufi shrines in the city of Lahore. That attack left at least 42 people dead. The first attack happened at the Karachi shrine's main gate, and 25 seconds later, the second explosion hit the steps leading up to the saints grave. Later on Thursday, local TV channels reported that Tehreek-e-Taliban, or Movement of Taliban, had claimed responsibility for the attacks. The group is known to have trained suicide bombers for attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Apparently, Thursdays are one of the most crowded days of the week at the shrine. After the attacks, the Pakistani government closed all shrines in the city.


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/world/asia/08pstan.html?ref=world


Submitted by Emily Collins