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Pakistan blast: Shias killed in Khanpur procession | Pakistan blast: Shias killed in Khanpur procession |
(40 minutes later) | |
At least 16 people have been killed and some 20 wounded in a bomb attack on a Shia religious procession in the central Pakistani city of Khanpur. | At least 16 people have been killed and some 20 wounded in a bomb attack on a Shia religious procession in the central Pakistani city of Khanpur. |
Police initially thought the blast had been caused by an electrical fault, but later confirmed it was a bomb. | Police initially thought the blast had been caused by an electrical fault, but later confirmed it was a bomb. |
The attack targeted Shias marking the festival of Arbain, one of the main holy days of the Shia calendar. | The attack targeted Shias marking the festival of Arbain, one of the main holy days of the Shia calendar. |
There have been a number of attacks targeting the minority Shia community, carried out by Sunni militants. | There have been a number of attacks targeting the minority Shia community, carried out by Sunni militants. |
The remote-controlled bomb was planted near an electric pole, Sohail Chattha, the area's police chief, told Reuters news agency. | The remote-controlled bomb was planted near an electric pole, Sohail Chattha, the area's police chief, told Reuters news agency. |
He said it was set off as the procession approached. | He said it was set off as the procession approached. |
"There was a loud explosion a few yards from the procession and we all scrambled to get away," Imran Iqbal, who was in the procession, told Reuters. | "There was a loud explosion a few yards from the procession and we all scrambled to get away," Imran Iqbal, who was in the procession, told Reuters. |
"Debris was everywhere, and a cloud of dust engulfed us. Many people died on the spot." | "Debris was everywhere, and a cloud of dust engulfed us. Many people died on the spot." |
In recent decades, southern Punjab has emerged as a hotbed of sectarian and jihadi extremism in central Pakistan, the BBC's South Asia editor Shahzeb Jillani says. | |
In sharp contrast to upper Punjab - which is considered the richest and most prosperous part of Pakistan - this region has particularly suffered from poverty and lack of infrastructure development. | |
Over the years, it appears to have turned into an ideal recruiting for extremist groups. | |
Southern Punjab is home to a large network of radical madrassas and Islamic charities, funded by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to spread their brand of strict Sunni Islam. |