Dawn.com invites its readers to share eye-witness accounts and photographs from the incident.
An explosion occurred on Karachi’s M.A. Jinnah road on Monday during a Shia procession commemorating Ashura.
For the city of lights, it’s the third blast in three days and the latest in a series of blasts that have taken place during the holy month of Muharram.
Photographs can be sent at photos@dawn.com
*In response to Dawn.com’s forum, an eyewitness, Waheed Zuberi, shares his photographs from the explosion during the Ashura procession on M.A. Jinnah Road on Monday afternoon.
One more question to those who said that “Azaadar put city on fire”, Do you take matches, petrol and tons of dandaas with you in funeral of your dear ones? So why would we carry these things along with us in our Imam’s majlis?
Paul, I am a Pakistani and totally agree with your comments below. That is the only solution to our problem
“Many of the responses here are talking about the incident as what happened to ‘Muslims’. Muslims or non Muslims – are first human beings. Murder is murder regardless of the victim or the killer belong to a particular religion.
I think, Pakistan’s problem can be resolved only through a complete reform in the ideology – to a secular mindset.”
Every Muslim was traumatized, having seen the atrocity of a non Muslim, many innocent people were killed, it doesn’t matter whether shia or sunni I know only one thing their were Muslim & human.
Every intellectual Pakistani & Muslim should condemn this attacks & the atrocity which experienced in light house to Bolton market.
Very sad at the situation and the great harm inflicted on innocent human beings. Public will not rest unless justice is done with real answers and accountability. The nation is united to confront the devil behind all these attacks.
The incident happened because of the failure of city and federal governments. No one has the courage to accept the responsibility of their failure and face the reality that they failed to protect public lives and properties.
My deep condolences .May their soul rest in peace.
Sad to see so many people dying. I dont understand how somebody can be convinced that by killing people god will be happy and reward will be heaven
While this incident clearly had a terrorist underpinning – it is no unusual for violence to break out in Moharram processions even in India. The friction is *always* between Shias and Sunnis (and not Muslims versus Hindu and such). Can someone throw more light on the root cause and historical genesis of this problem?
I really feel bad for all those who lost their loved ones in this indecent, shameful, barbaric and coward act.
My all sympathies are with them and secondly as far as the people whose shops turned to ashes, government should do something to compensate their loss.
Many of the responses here are talking about the incident as what happened to ‘Muslims’. Muslims or non Muslims – are first human beings. Murder is murder regardless of the victim or the killer belong to a particular religion.
I think, Pakistan’s problem can be resolved only through a complete reform in the ideology – to a secular mindset.
I wish the year 2010 be peaceful for Pakistanis.
We need to be human being to represent any religion. Taliban’s and Terrorists are not human beings and they cannot represent ISLAM and they are evils of the society.
Well what a shame I pass by that Area quiet often and by chance I was in the same Area Yesterday and it reminded me of the World War 2 movies that we watch every day. Where were our so called law enforcers doing at the time of this attack, though I salute Ramzan Solangi from Rangers but how come the attacker came so close and then almost three blocks on fire within 10 minute that’s not possible if it wasn’t preplanned for the people who know Karachi the buildings starting from landa bazar (light house) till Memon Masjid were on fire and they initially fired on the Fire Brigade too.
Salman below has assured that the persons behind such an attack are neither sunni nor shias nor humans for that matter. They are worst than animals.
To Zeeshan Dogar’s excellent question:
“What happened to the vibrant, innocent Pakistan of the seventies and eighties? How did so many things change so fast, in such a short space of time?
My humble answer:
People allowed themselves to be controlled by unconstitutional forces (dictatorial and religious) under the pretext that these would better answer their perceived “enemies” than the slow democratic process to liberty typically depended upon by functional societies. In the deal people of Pakistan lost control of legitimate system required for social management. Even now people prefer a dictatorial approach to an elective approach because elective approach brings out the differences between people and would require compromise. Dictatorial approach takes away the need for compromise and people feel falsely comforted which in turn leads to their inability to solve problems when they arise.
It’s sad when innocents die.
Who else is doing these sort of activities these people aren’t Muslims, cause we are not allowed to kill any single human on planet, so how could any Muslim can kill any person. And here thousands of people have been killed.
May Allah protect us all…
Ameen
Hi All,
It’s sad to see people killing each other in the name of Religion. Killing of innocent can’t be justified under the banner of religion. I am not sure whether killing a non Muslim will lead to Jannat & killing a Muslim will lead to Dozak. If we really want to eliminate terrorism first we have eliminate this narrow mind approach on religion for other religions. Religious Tolerance is a solution of Peace & brotherhood. If in our heart we have even a small bit of hatred for other region we will be equivalent to people who have done barbaric act in Karachi.
May Allah bless wisdom to people.
Totally agree with Aysha Khan. Unless whole of South Asia unites against terror it will be difficult to defeat terrorism. The terrorists it seems keep moving from one place to the other. No nation can chase them and conquer them alone. There has to be a consensus. Peace God! Please bless this planet with peace.
Salam everyone:
My condolences and Fateh for all who were martyred in this blast as well as for the victims of blast all over the world.
wsalam
Hassan Kazmi
From reading comments below, our Shia brothers believe that ashura processions cannot be trimmed down no matter what.
My opinion in that case is that the processions should be taken out at fairly isolated place from the city like suburb where chances of an attacker sneaking in are none. Carrying out a procession in middle of cities most populous and congested area is like inviting the enemy attacker to join and kill innocent people at will.
Also I would like to see the government come out with a broader anti terrorism policy instead of just condemning such attacks.
Peace be with everyone.
First of all I want to offer my condolences to all the people who have lost their loved ones in the tragic attack.
Secondly I agree! We should use this tragedy to unite against the enemies of Muslims and the enemies of humanity. Both the Shia and Sunni sects of Islam along with other sects and religion are absolutely against such carnage. Whoever did this wants Shias to fight with Sunnis. Alhum dulillah, I can say that to a certain extent, based on the replies seen in this forum, we are uniting-much to the dismay of the enemy.
Rest assured the persons behind such an attack are neither sunni nor shias nor humans for that matter. They are worst than animals. They are the very the same individuals who routinely kill Palestinians, Iraqis and Afghanis.
Salman
“Ameer Hamza” says: “I will fully blame the Shia alims and leaders for allowing such a huge crowd to gather at M.A Jinnah Road. This procession has been part of Karachi since last 15 years or so and is carried out to show love of Hazrat Imam Hussain (A.S).
And now they have burnt several shops and allowed death of their 40 people.”
“Ameer Hamza” and people like him don’t know their homework and starts commenting. I have been seeing this parade/procession/juloos since the last fifty years. The reason for this parade are to be understood before someone even imagines to stop it.
And what does Ameer Hamza mean by “they” as in “And now they have burnt several shops and allowed death of their 40 people.”
Who are they?
It is sad to see of the death of so many people.
Asalamalaikum
With the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful.
The teaching of Islam is tolerance, follow right path, earn halal and not become part of problem.
If azadars were not involve, than they should come forward and watch all footage and pin point people who were involved. Please come forward to help shop owner in their re building efforts. Please donate to their fund. Please visit their site, stand with them.
I request, beg to all rich families of shia and khoja shia to come forward and donate money. Rich family maybe are, gokals, habibs, zulfiqar industries, wazir ali industries, etc. Otherwise message will go that we want’s hatred.
All shia organization arrange programs and gathering for fund raising. I request to all people to come forward and play a role, otherwise in future we will regret.
My head is bow down, I am not able to match eyes with other communities.
Allah Hafiz
Excellent responses by so many people. My comments on some of the responses:
@ FARHAN:
As a Sunni Muslim, I am also upset as you are as my Shia brother. I believe what took place is terrorism vs. Inhumanity, not Sunni vs. Shia. The same militants and terrorists who claim to be Sunnis are blowing up Sunni mosques killing worshippers in prayers.
@ ZUBEDA
Do not count on Pakistani Ulemas whether Shia or Sunni. If they indeed had love for Islam and Muslim, they could have declared all suicide bombers as out of pale of Islam and no Janaza for them. At least they should have openly said the terrorists are enemies of Muslims.
@ HASAN
The procession (Jaloos) is not the cause of slaughter. The evils are just waiting for any kind of large crowd of human beings to carry on bomb attack to get maximum casualties. It could have been an Eidul Fitr prayer in an Eid-Gah or open field attended by tens of thousand Sunni or Shia Muslims.
@ ALI
Your advice to keep away from crowd is timely advice.
@ TUFI
Well said TUFI. The leaders you mentioned, will not condemn the suicide attacks because their own existence and power depends on support of good and bad people alike.
@ ASMAT JAMAL
Answers to your 3 Question. 1- How can a Muslim kill a Muslim? 2- They can’t be Muslims. 3- A Muslim does not kill innocent people.
Are you not aware the evil Yazeed, the killer of beloved Imam Hussain was a Muslim too? Are you not aware the three Khalifas (Omar, Usman and Ali) were killed by Muslims? Muslims have been killing Muslims for the last 1400 years.
@ ASAD:
You said “Killing even an innocent non-believer is like killing the whole of humanity.” Very true.
Allah says in Holy Quran “If any one killed a person, it would be as if he killed all mankind; and if any one saved the life of a person, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.” (Quran V: 32).
According to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) “Murdering a human being is one of the biggest sins.” He adds: “Be kind to all living beings so that Allah may be kind to you. Allah does not show His mercy to whosoever shows no mercy to fellow humans.
It is most unfortunate that Pakistani Ulemas do not give the message of Allah to Pakistani Muslims probably for fear from militants and terrorists for their own safety.
@ ALI
It was not an attack by Sunnis on Shias as you suggest. It was an attack by terrorists on all peace-loving people.
@ SEEMA
Well said.
May Allah keep all Muslims, regardless of their different schools of thought, united against militants and terrorists.