The Ismailis provoked them by being Ismailis, you see. How dare they poke them in the eye in such a way? Didn’t they realize that their being Ismaili was offensive to these jihadists? They have no one to blame but themselves.
So goes the reasoning of those who blame us for the jihad attack on our free speech event in Texas.
The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan pledged allegiance to the Islamic State late last year.
“45 killed in terrorist attack on bus in Karachi,” Daily Pakistan, May 13, 2015:
KARACHI (Staff Report) – At least 45 people were killed and 11 people were injured in an attack on a bus carrying members of Ismaili community near Safoora Chowrangi in Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of Karachi.
Sindh Police Inspector General Ghulam Haider Jamali said that 60 people were on board the bus when gunmen opened fire and killed 43 passengers on the spot, killing the bus driver first.
He also confirmed that the armed men used 9mm pistols to carry out the attack. However, independent sources revealed the attackers also used semi-machine guns (SMGs) in the attack.
Hospital sources had earlier confirmed that the dead include 25 men and 16 women. Police officials said that there were no children among the casualties.
An eye-witness said at least a dozen men riding on three motorcycles opened indiscriminate fire on a bus, wounding several passengers. The attackers who were dressed as security guards managed to escape from the scene after the incident.
“The gunmen stopped the bus and first fired at it from outside,” a senior policeman told AFP. “Then they entered inside the bus and open fire indiscriminately. After that they checked to see if anyone was left uninjured.”
An official of the Ismaili National Council, a group which represents the community, added: “We have confirmation of five dead and dozens injured including women and children in an attack on a bus owned by our community’s welfare board.
“The dead and injured have been shifted to the private Memon Medical Center nearby,” he said.
Rescuers brought 13 people to Memon Hospital, out of whom two people succumbed to bullet wounds at the hospital, rising the death toll to 45.
The bus belongs to the Al-Azhar Garden Colony, which is an Ismaili community housing project in Karachi. It was on its regular route headed towards Federal B Area of Karachi.
Police personnel reached the spot after the incident and started investigation. A search operation is underway in the area while a heavy contingent of Rangers has also arrived at the spot.
JUNDULLAH CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY
Ahmed Marwat, a spokesman for Jundullah which is a splinter group of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), talking to Reuters claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Al Qaeda affiliated group that started off from South Waziristan has targeted Shias and foreign tourists in the past as well. In November last year, the group had pledged support to Islamic State (IS).
In the past, the proscribed group has claimed several attacks including a blast near the Wagah border in November 2014 and the July 2013 attack on the compound of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) in Sukkur. It has also claimed the several attacks on polio workers across the country.
EMERGENCY IMPOSED
Emergency has been imposed in Jinnah Hospital, Aga Khan Hospital and the nearby Memon Hospital where the injured are being shifted.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah strongly condemned the firing incident and ordered immediate suspension of the area’s Station House Officer (SHO) and District Superintendent of Police (DSP).
The Sindh IG, while taking notice of the firing incident, asked Additional IG Karachi to immediately submit preliminary report in this regard, a press release said.
He also directed to facilitate emergency rescue services in evacuation of injured to hospitals for treatment. He further directed to ensure early arrest of criminals involved.
CONDEMNATIONS
Condemnations poured in soon after today’s deadly attack on the bus. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the incident. He sought a report into the incident and extended condolences over the loss of lives.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari also strongly condemned the attack, according to a statement. Bilawal sympathised with the victims and urged for stern action against the terrorists.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan also strongly condemned the attack and expressed grief over the murder of citizens.
He added that this incident raises questions over the provincial government’s performance pertaining to peace in the province. The government must provide complete medical facilities to the injured and take strict action against those responsible for this attack, he said.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain also expressed his deep grief and sorrow over the attack. He termed the attack the worst form of terrorism, calling those behind the attack savages….
Savages? Doesn’t Altaf Hussain know that using that word of bloodthirsty jihadis reveals one to be a racist, greasy Islamophobe?
spot on says
When these Islamic barbarians can’t find Jews, Christians, or non-Muslims, they find a reason to savagely kill each other… by the busloads.
mortimer says
NOTORIOUS PAKISTANI ISLAMOPHOBE, Altaf Hussain of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, called them SAVAGES !!!
mortimer says
“Sindh Police Inspector General Ghulam Haider Jamali said that 60 people were on board the bus when gunmen opened fire and killed 43 passengers on the spot, killing the bus driver first.
He also confirmed that the armed men used 9mm PISTOLS to carry out the attack.”
In other words, this was targeted killing EXECUTION STYLE of Ismailis ONE BY ONE!
Islam has the morals of mobsters.
Oliver says
What the hell are the two above me saying or trying to say?
Especially the one just above me.
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Now, if the Ismaliis would seek revenge (please do) and do a Churchill (Sir W.: ” for every bomb that falls on London, 10 shall fall on Berlin) and kill 450-500 terrorists, 9as a start)-i think that this would be a good beginning.
John Gehrke says
Hello all – please keep the comments calm and respectful – take a breath and think for a moment. I believe this may have been a Shiite / Sunni conflict – otherwise I am at a lost why Muslims would attack each other unless mistaken as tourists.
John Gehrke says
And to further clarify – “For ISIS, Shia aren’t Muslim, either, so that’s okay,” he added, while its Sunni victims fall under the rubric, “If they didn’t pledge allegiance to us, they are apostates and fair game.” UCLA Prof Khaled Abou El Fadl http://www.campus-watch.org/article/id/14772
Jaladhi says
Wonderful religion of peace strikes again!! When they can’t find non – Muslims to sacrifice for the bloodthirsty Mo/allah they kill Muslims of different sect anyway! The followers of this religion have no conscience, no morals, no brain to differentiate between right and wrong, good and evil.. In other words they are total demons unworthy of being called human beings. They are born as human beings but once they follow Quran and Mo/allah they turn into demons!!
zulu says
When you are in the majority, it is easy to be blind
http://www.dawn.com/news/1177951/when-you-are-in-the-majority-it-is-easy-to-be-blind
According to the South Asian Terrorism Portal, there have been 20 incidents of religiously-motivated violence in Pakistan in 2015, which killed 143 and injured 214 others.
Oliver says
Zulu–is that all? 20 incidents and only 143 killed? What about the school massacre or was that in 2014? there were -as I recall-more then 143 killed just there); and the “isolated” bombings; shootings; etc. And killings of atheists; Christians, etc.
or, are those in another category?
just asking
Ah Clem says
I just found out some interesting information about the Ismaili sect from the Twitter account of an atheist ex-Muslim named Ali Rizvi, who was born in Pakistan and is currently living in Canada. Apparently they are a reformist sect with modern, pro-West and pro-secular views. That’s apparently why they were targeted. Here’s the article:
https://twitter.com/aliamjadrizvi/status/598540412693794816
There’s also a Twitter page by an atheist ex-Ismaili born in Pakistan and living in the West that has a number of interesting tweets about the many achievements of the Ismailis in Pakistan. Here is the page:
https://twitter.com/SecularlyYours
WhatsUpDoc says
Either 45 dead or their killers will end up in Islamic Paradise but we don’t know who. Each party has its own interpretation of Quran and Hadiths based on many passage asking believers to kill. As long as they stay in their hell holes I am ok with it, I only have a problem when these understanders or miss understanders are being imported in bulk into US