Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lahore (Fides Service) - There is tension in the southern Pakistan port of Karach where violent disorder followed a suicide bomb on 30 May which devastated the Mandinatul Ilm Shiite mosque in the district of Gulshan-e-Iqbal. After the bomb blast groups of extremists set fire to a restaurant belonging to an American chain of heating houses located near the mosque. Six people were burned alive in the fire and in the suicide bomb attack five were killed including the two suicide bombers and at least 18 people were injured. American restaurants have been targeted before in Pakistan to protest against President Pervez Musharraf alliance with US President George Bush.
Investigating police say the attack was a Sunni attack on Shiite Muslims. Observers say there were about 10,000 worshippers Shiite and Sunni in the mosque at the time.
There is growing concern in Pakistan also among the Christian minority. Christian leaders have called on the government to take stronger measures to protect citizens of all religions. Waseem Anthony, a Catholic who heads the independent Commission for Peace and Development” condemned the suicide attack and called on the government not only to increase security but to “implement in society programmes and initiatives to promote social and inter-religious harmony”.
Dr Mehboob Sada head of the Rawalpindi Centre for Christian Studies told Fides that the suicide attack gave rise to anti-America resentment among Muslims in Pakistan as it can be seen by the attack on the restaurant. Certain political and social groups in Pakistan call on Muslims to “unite against America”.
President Musharraf said in a public address: “This is a moderate Muslim country, and I appeal to all Pakistanis to be united in the fight against extremism”. He called on people to report anyone seen inciting to social or religious hatred in mosques or anywhere else.
(AM-PA) (Agenzia Fides 31/05/2005 Righe: 26 Parole: 269)
