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At Least 72 Dead As ISIS Bombing Rips Through Lal Shahbaz Shrine In Sehwan, Sindh

Darpan News Desk IANS, 16 Feb, 2017 10:02 AM

A devastating explosion, claimed by the Islamic State, ripped through a Sufi shrine in Sehwan town of Pakistan's Sindh province on Thursday, killing at least 72 people, including 12 women and four children, and injuring over 250 others.

Assistant Superintendent of Police in Sehwan said a suicide bomber entered the Lal Shehbaz Qalandar shrine through its Golden Gate. The attacker blew himself up after throwing a grenade, which failed to explode, he said.

The explosion took place at the spot where the "Dhamaal" Sufi ritual was being performed within the premises of the shrine.

#COAS directed imed assistance to Sehwan blast victims. Army /Rangers moved incl medical support. Hyderabad CMH ready to receive casualties.
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 16, 2017

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, the group's affiliated news agency AMAQ reported.

There were conflicting reports about casualties in the blast. Taluka Hospital Medical Superintendent Moinuddin Siddiqui said 72 bodies and scores of injured were brought to the hospital.

A stampede followed the blast as a large number of devotee, including women and children, were present in the shrine.

#Sehwan. Army and Rangers medical teams at blast site. Air evac from Nawab Shah started. Injured being taken to Kci/ Hyd. Ambulances sent.
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 16, 2017

Contingents of police reached the shrine that is situated slightly off the Super Highway in Dadu district of Sindh. Hundreds of people gather at the Sufi saint's shrine every Thursday for religious rituals.

An emergency has been declared in all hospitals of the area, with the injured being shifted to Liaquat Medical Complex Jamshoro and the sub-district hospital.

#Sehwan. Armed Forces have placed all required resources for rescue effort. Army and Rangers are doing rescue effort at site.
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 16, 2017

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif decried the attack: "The past few days have been hard, and my heart is with the victims," Sharif said.

"But we can't let these events divide us, or scare us. We must stand united in this struggle for the Pakistani identity, and universal humanity."

18+ content#LalShahbazQalandar #sehwan #SufiShrines #Pakistan #SehwanBlast #SehwanSharifBlast #SehwanAttack #blastinshabazqalander pic.twitter.com/7krSksvZ4M
— MaLiK OmAr TeHzEeB (@OmAr_TeHzEeB) February 16, 2017

Moments after the powerful bombing the Pakistan military issued a strongly worded statement to "hostile powers", saying it will respond to such attacks.

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said: "Recent terrorist acts are being executed on directions from hostile powers and from sanctuaries in Afghanistan. We shall defend and respond."

Horrific images comming from #Pakistan #LalShahbazQalandar at least 80 dead most of them children and women RIP pic.twitter.com/mcnlsICHHn
— Azad Chori Gandhian (@DilSeyDesi) February 16, 2017

"Each drop of the nation's blood shall be revenged, and revenged immediately. No more restraint for anyone," the army chief was quoted as saying.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said he had directed rescue teams to reach the spot of the attack.

The last attack on a Sufi shrine took place on November 12, 2016, when a suicide bomber struck the shrine of Shah Norani in Khuzdar district of Balochistan, killing at least 52 people and leaving 102 injured.

18+ content#LalShahbazQalandar #sehwan #SufiShrines #Pakistan #SehwanBlast #SehwanSharifBlast #SehwanAttack #blastinshabazqalander pic.twitter.com/7krSksvZ4M
— MaLiK OmAr TeHzEeB (@OmAr_TeHzEeB) February 16, 2017

The explosion had taken place where the Dhamaal was being performed. At least 500 people were gathered at the spot to observe the ritual.

The blast was the latest in a series of attacks to hit the country this week.

The attack on the shrines of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar represents an attack on the progressive, inclusive future of Pakistan: PM Nawaz Sharif
— PML(N) (@pmln_org) February 16, 2017

A suicide bomber targeted a government office in the Mohmand tribal area on Wednesday, while a separate attack on the same day targeted government employees in Peshawar. Six people were killed in total.

On Tuesday, two police officers were killed while trying to defuse a bomb in Quetta.

Shocked & saddened by condemnable terrorist attack inside Sufi shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar targeting innocent ppl incl women & children.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 16, 2017

Sixteen people were also killed in a suicide bombing at a protest rally in the Lahore on Monday.

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