ISLAMABAD, 28 May 2005 — A man blew himself up at a Shiite religious gathering in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad yesterday, killing at least 24 people and injuring 81, hospital sources said.
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said it was a suicide attack and blamed “enemies of Pakistan and Islam.”
No one claimed responsibility for the bombing, and Ahmed said police were trying to identify the attacker.
The minister said in a television interview that authorities would soon release the photo of the suspected bomber, and an award of 500,000 rupees has been announced for help in identifying him.
Witnesses said the bomb went off in an open space near the Bari Imam shrine where thousands of Muslims had gathered to pray. The blast ripped through a canvas tent put up to shade the worshippers from the sun. They were preparing for the arrival of Shiite leader, Hamid Mosavi, a vehement critic of the US-led war on terrorism, who was about to deliver a sermon. Mosavi was not hurt, witnesses said.
“There was an announcement that Hamid Mosavi is coming. Everybody stood up and then there was the explosion,” said Mohammed Ali, who was among the congregation. “Afterward, you couldn’t identify anyone. Some had their legs blown off, some had their hands blown off. I lifted so many of the people and my clothes were soaked with blood.”
Witnesses said police collected the head of the suspected suicide bomber — an unidentified man aged around 30 with a small beard and curly hair — from the blast scene. Authorities did not immediately confirm that information. Hundreds of worshippers, beating their chests and heads in mourning, clashed with police near the shrine afterward when officers baton-charged the crowd to clear the way for ambulances. Some also chanted, “Down with America!”
Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Tariq Pirzada said 19 people had died while hospital sources said 25, including the bomber, had been killed. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz announced compensation of rupees 100,000 for families of each of the dead. The wounded will be treated free, he said. Bari Imam shrine is close to Pakistan’s main government buildings and the diplomatic enclave.
President Pervez Musharraf condemned the attack. “I was shocked to hear about the blast. I am very angry at the terrorist act,” state television quoted Musharraf as saying when told about the blast. He was speaking at a steel mill function in Karachi.
“The people should unite against extremists, terrorists and those who are fanning sectarianism,” Musharraf said, “These elements are blocking development and progress of the country.”
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan also condemned the bombing and expressed outrage that civilians have been repeatedly targeted at their places of worship, Annan spokesman Fred Eckhard said in a statement. Annan urged Pakistani authorities to “spare no effort” to bring those responsible to justice. Security was stepped up in Islamabad and the government instructed all four provinces to provide more protection to places of worship.
— Additional input from The Associated Press
