Terror hits Pak as summit starts

Terror hits Pak as summit starts

Taliban Kill 23 Shias, More Attacks Feared During Muharram

Omer Farooq Khan TNN 

Islamabad: At least 23 people were killed and 62 injured in a suicide bomb attack on a Shia Muslim procession in the country’s garrison city of Rawalpindi late on Wednesday. The attack came after twin blasts against Muharram procession of Shias in Karachi left three dead and a remote-control blast in Queatta city killed at least five.
    Eyewitnesses at Rawalpindi’s blast scene said a suicide bomber was intercepted by law-enforcement personnel when he was trying to join a Muharram procession.
    “The bomber was trying to join the procession by crossing barbed wires and breaking the security cordon. The bomber detonated himself the moment he was intercepted by security personnel,” said Sadaqat Hussain who was injured in the blast.
    Deeba Shehnaz, police rescue spokeswoman, said: “A total of 23 people, including the bomber, have died and 62 injured, eight of them are children.”
    The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the Karachi and Rawalpindi blasts. “We carried out the attacks in Rawalpindi and Karachi because the Shia community is engaged in defiling our Prophet,” said Ehsanullah Ehsan, the Taliban spokesman. The banned Balochistan Republican Army claimed responsibility for a blast in Quetta region targeting security personnel.
    Pakistan intelligence officials said the extremist groups have escalated bombings and shootings of Shias to trigger violence that would pave the way for further sectarian violence. They also warned of more attacks in the coming days of the month of Muharram.
    The violence also coincided with Islamabad hosting a summit of developing eight countries, attended by the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia and other countries. Observers said largescale sectarian or militant violence could hurt Pakistan’s efforts to show that it has improved security situation as it hosts a summit of the leaders of eight developing countries in Islamabad.
    “The ongoing sectarian violence could hurt Pakistan’s efforts to show that it has improved security as it hosts the leaders of eight developing countries,” said Amir Mateen, an analyst. 
    Home minister Rehman Malik said the attacks were designed to create the impression that the government is incapable of providing adequate security for the summit. “We are trying to build relationships, get investment in Pakistan and these groups are trying to derail the process,” he said.
    Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf condemned the bombings in a statement, vowing that the country was united and would never submit to