0 vote(s)The attack targeted a Shia procession commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (PBUH) in the Dhoke Syedan area of the garrison town of Rawalpindi on Wednesday night.
In the evening, a series of coordinated bomb attacks on several other Shia gatherings across the southern port city of Karachi left at least two people dead and several others severely injuring.
The injured have been taken to nearby hospitals. The death toll is reportedly expected to rise as some of the wounded are in critical condition.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but police officials put the blame on pro-Taliban militants who have carried out similar assaults in the past.
Violence has escalated against Shia Muslims in different parts of Pakistan in recent months. Since the beginning of 2012, hundreds of Shias have been killed in various parts of the country.
Pakistan's pro-Taliban militants have launched a violent campaign against Shia Muslims over the past years. According to local sources, militants affiliated to Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorist groups have killed thousands of Shia Muslims in the region since the start of the campaign.
The country's Shia leaders have called on the government to form a judicial commission to investigate the bloodshed.
The killing of Shias in Pakistan has sparked international outrage, with rights groups and regional countries expressing concern over the ongoing carnage. Still, those behind the violence are rarely caught or punished.
