Five Shias were killed and nine others injured when militants belonging to the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi fired two rockets followed by intense gunfire at a Shia prayer congregation here on Friday morning A woman died of a heart attack when she saw the dead bodies of her relatives killed in the attack. Hundreds of protesters blocked the western bypass with boulders and burning tyres in the aftermath of the attack and demanded the arrest of the attackers.
The victims had gathered at a cemetery in Hazara town close to the western bypass in the morning to offer prayers for the dead when around six gunmen, in three vehicles, fired two rockets at them. They then opened fire at the terrorised people running pell-mell in the wake of the rocket explosions. Four people were killed on the spot while ten others were injured, one of whom later succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. All the injured were taken to Bolan Medical Complex and three of them were later moved to Combined Military Hospital for better treatment.
Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Hamid Shakeel told Pakistan Today that the attack seemed well-planned and the attackers chose the area specifically. Ali Sher Haideri, a spokesman of the LJ, called a local news agency office and claimed responsibility for the attack. He said that such attacks would continue in future with more intensity. He said the militant organisation would avenge the killing of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. Reuters, however, reported that at least eight people were killed and 15 were wounded according to police.
Various political parties and trade organisations termed the killing of innocent people against humanity and announced their support for a shutter-down strike in the city in protest.
