Eight killed in mosque bomb attack

A bomb explosion ripped through a Shiite Muslim mosque in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi today, killing at least eight people and wounding 35, hospital officials said.

Witnesses said a blast rocked the Imam Bargah Ali Raza mosque during evening prayers and the injured were taken to three hospitals in private vehicles.

Officials at the three hospitals reported that eight people were killed and at least 35 were wounded.

Most of the casualties were at the state-run Civil Hospital, where Dr Hamid Paryar reported four dead and 22 wounded people, some in serious condition.

Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said the blast was caused by a bomb and at least five people had died.

Interior Ministry spokesman Abdur Rauf Chaudhry said it was “too early” to say who was behind the attack, but said “it appears to be sectarian” violence.

The worst damage from the blast appeared to be in the area where people wash up before praying. The dome of mosque was broken.

The explosion shattered windows in a tall building opposite the mosque across a major road, leaving shards of glass scattered on the road.

Police cordoned off the surrounding area. Ambulances arrived at the scene and took away three bodies retrieved from the debris.

“I heard a big explosion, followed by flames from the front of the mosque and I saw two injured people falling on the road, bleeding, and one had no legs,” said Ghulam Hussain, a fruit vendor, who witnessed the blast.

Saqlain Raza, a worshipper who was parking his motorcycle outside when the blast occurred, estimated that about 30 to 35 people were inside the mosque at the time of the explosion.

“I fell down and the motorbike fell on me. I pushed away the bike and tried to run, and I started hearing screaming people so I rushed inside.

“One three-year old child was bleeding from the head and stomach. I carried the boy out and a car took him to hospital.”

Karachi – Pakistan’s largest city of 14 million people and the country’s commercial centre – has been the scene of recent sectarian violence and terrorist attacks, including twin car bombings near the US Consul’s residence last week.