July 2010 Lahore bombings
Encyclopedia
The July 2010 Lahore bombings occurred on 2010 in Lahore
, Punjab
, Pakistan
. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the Sufi shrine, Data Durbar Complex
. At least 50 people died and 200 others were hurt in the blasts. This was the biggest attack on a Sufi shrine in Pakistan since 2001.
The Data Durbar shrine is the burial place of the Sufi saint Syed Ali Hajwairi. His book 'Kashif-ul-Mahjub' (which literally means 'unveiling of the veiled') is the first treatise in Sufi literature known as 'Malfujat'. Thursdays are the busiest days at the shrine as a large number of devotees come to pay their respects and attain blessings.
The shrine was mostly frequented by members of the Ahle-Sunnath Wal Jamath sect whom the Taliban consider heretics. The shrine was known for its colourful festivals in which the devotees dance
, a practice considered un-Islamic
by the Taliban. In March 2009 Taliban militants had bombed the shrine of Sufi poet Rahman Baba
and in June 2009 Sarfraz Ahmed Naeemi
a moderate cleric belonging to the Ahle-Sunnath Wal Jamath sect was killed in a suicide bombing blamed on Taliban.
Doctors said they expected the death toll to rise; and at Mayo Hospital
, where the injured were sent, officials declared a state of emergency. Twenty-five people were in critical condition according to hospital officials. The Lahore Police Commissioner Khusro Pervez also appealed to people not to rush to hospitals.
The next day about 2,000 people, some armed, staged protests in the city shouting "Down with Shahbaz Sharif
".
Police were put high alert in Pakistan as demands grew for a tougher crackdown on armed religious groups in central Punjab. Security was also tightened at Sufi shrines across the country, while many Pakistanis, called for the resignation of Punjab government officials.
The police commissioner said that the body parts of two suicide bombers had been found, including two heads. He said the suicide bombers were very young and that each suicide jacket could have carried up to 10–15 kg. of explosives.
On 5 July, Pakistani authorities arrested 12 suspects, though the identity of the actual perpetrators remains a mystery. Ammunition and weapons were also recovered in the raids in two areas of Lahore. Five police officers were also suspended for security lapses that led to the attack.
, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, denied responsibility for the attacks and called them the handiwork of secret foreign agencies. A spokesperson for the Punjabi Taliban, Muhammad Umar, said that "We don't follow a policy of attacking shrines. During five years of government in Afghanistan, the Taliban never demolished a single shrine. Strategically it would also be ridiculous if we send anybody for any suicide attack. Why should we do that? If we really want to kill people over there all we need is to simply park an explosive laden car and that's all." He further termed the incident as an act of spy agencies and Blackwater
, aimed to "defame the Mujahideen
."
However protests were held in Lahore blaming Taliban militants for the attack.
strongly condemned the blasts and asked the police to investigate the crime and submit a report. Farahnaz Ispahani
, spokeswoman for President Asif Ali Zardari
issued a statement saying "This sickening poison of extremism will be driven out of our nation and we will not be cowed."
International organisations Catherine Ashton, the foreign affairs chief of the European Union, said "The deadly attack is yet another vivid example of the scale of the terrorist threat and extremism in Pakistan."
Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon
strongly condemned the attack saying "the deliberate targeting of a crowded place of worship makes this particularly vicious."
National reactions India issued a statement saying "The government strongly condemns the terrorist attacks on Data Darbar in Lahore and expresses sympathies to the families of the bereaved."
William Hague
, the British Foreign Secretary, said "Britain stands alongside the people and government of Pakistan against those who commit such appalling atrocities."
Hillary Clinton condemned the attacks and promised to support Pakistan in its fight against militancy. Leonard Leo
, chairman of United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
, called on the Pakistani government to protect the freedom of all religious groups and repeal the country's blasphemy laws
.
After the attacks religious leaders of the Barelvi sect accused the Punjab government of having connections with the Taliban. They met with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif
and demanded the resignation of the Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan
who had previously campaigned with a leader of the banned militant group Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan
. After the meeting, Haji Fazl-e-Karim, one of the Barelvi leaders, told the media "Rana Sanaullah's contacts with terrorists are most obvious, and he must resign."
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the Sufi shrine, Data Durbar Complex
Data Durbar Complex
Data Darbar , located in the city of Lahore, Pakistan is one of the oldest Muslim shrines in the sub-continent. It houses the remains of a Sufi saint, Abul Hassan Ali Hajvery...
. At least 50 people died and 200 others were hurt in the blasts. This was the biggest attack on a Sufi shrine in Pakistan since 2001.
Background
Tasawwuf is a part of Islam and the Sufis are those who practice Tasawwuf. Within the last few centuries it has come under attack from the Wahabis which consider it polytheistic (which is a claim heavily refuted and disproven).The Data Durbar shrine is the burial place of the Sufi saint Syed Ali Hajwairi. His book 'Kashif-ul-Mahjub' (which literally means 'unveiling of the veiled') is the first treatise in Sufi literature known as 'Malfujat'. Thursdays are the busiest days at the shrine as a large number of devotees come to pay their respects and attain blessings.
The shrine was mostly frequented by members of the Ahle-Sunnath Wal Jamath sect whom the Taliban consider heretics. The shrine was known for its colourful festivals in which the devotees dance
Sufi whirling
Sufi whirling , is a form of Sama or physicaly active meditation which orginated among Sufis, and which is still practiced by the Sufi Dervishes of the Mevlevi order. It is a customary dance performed within the Sema, or worship ceremony, through which dervishes aim to reach the source of all...
, a practice considered un-Islamic
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
by the Taliban. In March 2009 Taliban militants had bombed the shrine of Sufi poet Rahman Baba
Rahman Baba
Abdul Rahman Baba is popularly known as Rahman Baba , was a Pashtun Muslim poet from Peshawar in modern-day Pakistan who remains the most popular poet among the Pashtuns...
and in June 2009 Sarfraz Ahmed Naeemi
Sarfraz Ahmed Naeemi
Dr Mufti Sarfraz Ahmed Naeemi Shaheed, , was a leading Sunni Islamic cleric from Pakistan who was well known for his moderate and anti-terrorist views...
a moderate cleric belonging to the Ahle-Sunnath Wal Jamath sect was killed in a suicide bombing blamed on Taliban.
Attack
Police initially said that three suicide bombers attacked the shrine. One attack occurred at gate number 5 to the shrine, one in the courtyard, and one in the basement. The attackers struck in the evening, when the shrine was most busy due to the cooler weather.Doctors said they expected the death toll to rise; and at Mayo Hospital
Mayo Hospital
Mayo Hospital is one of the oldest and biggest hospital in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. King Edward Medical University is the attached university which is Pakistan's most prestigious and South Asia's second oldest institution.-History:...
, where the injured were sent, officials declared a state of emergency. Twenty-five people were in critical condition according to hospital officials. The Lahore Police Commissioner Khusro Pervez also appealed to people not to rush to hospitals.
Immediate reactions
Media personnel were attacked by enraged people at the site. Police also resorted to aerial firing to disperse people gathered at the shrine so as to clear the area. Scuffles then took place between protesters and police as people demanded that investigations be made on loopholes in the security arrangements.The next day about 2,000 people, some armed, staged protests in the city shouting "Down with Shahbaz Sharif
Shahbaz Sharif
Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is a well-known conservative Pakistani politician and currently President of Pakistan Muslim League . He is the brother of Nawaz Sharif, former Prime Minister of Pakistan. He is the chief minister of Pakistan's most populous province Punjab since 2008...
".
Police were put high alert in Pakistan as demands grew for a tougher crackdown on armed religious groups in central Punjab. Security was also tightened at Sufi shrines across the country, while many Pakistanis, called for the resignation of Punjab government officials.
Investigation
The administrators of the shrine said that strict security arrangement had been made, and that all devotees entering the shrine were thoroughly checked.The police commissioner said that the body parts of two suicide bombers had been found, including two heads. He said the suicide bombers were very young and that each suicide jacket could have carried up to 10–15 kg. of explosives.
On 5 July, Pakistani authorities arrested 12 suspects, though the identity of the actual perpetrators remains a mystery. Ammunition and weapons were also recovered in the raids in two areas of Lahore. Five police officers were also suspended for security lapses that led to the attack.
Responsibility
Though there has not been a claim of responsibility, previous bombings in Lahore have been blamed on the Pakistani Taliban because of their disagreement with minority interpretations of Islam, such as Sufism. However, Azam TariqAzam Tariq (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan)
Azam Tariq is a spokesperson for the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan . The TTP chose him as its spokesman after his predecessor, Maulvi Umar, was detained by Pakistani authorities in August 2009....
, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, denied responsibility for the attacks and called them the handiwork of secret foreign agencies. A spokesperson for the Punjabi Taliban, Muhammad Umar, said that "We don't follow a policy of attacking shrines. During five years of government in Afghanistan, the Taliban never demolished a single shrine. Strategically it would also be ridiculous if we send anybody for any suicide attack. Why should we do that? If we really want to kill people over there all we need is to simply park an explosive laden car and that's all." He further termed the incident as an act of spy agencies and Blackwater
Blackwater Worldwide
Xe Services LLC, better known by its former names, Blackwater USA and Blackwater Worldwide, is a private military company founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and Al Clark.. Xe is currently the largest of the U.S. State Department's three private security contractors...
, aimed to "defame the Mujahideen
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
."
However protests were held in Lahore blaming Taliban militants for the attack.
Reactions
Domestic reactions Prime minister Yousaf Raza GillaniYousaf Raza Gillani
Yousuf Raza Gilani is the current prime minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was nominated as Prime Minister by the PPP, with the support of its coalition partners, Pakistan Muslim League , Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Muttahida Qaumi Movement, on 22 March 2008...
strongly condemned the blasts and asked the police to investigate the crime and submit a report. Farahnaz Ispahani
Farahnaz Ispahani
Farahnaz Ispahani is currently serving as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and as a spokesperson for the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari. She is married to Husain Haqqani, the current Pakistan Ambassador to the United States, and is the granddaughter of Pakistan's first...
, spokeswoman for President Asif Ali Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari is the 11th and current President of Pakistan and the Co-Chairman of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party . He is also the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who served two nonconsecutive terms as Prime Minister....
issued a statement saying "This sickening poison of extremism will be driven out of our nation and we will not be cowed."
- Peter Jacob, the national secretary of Justice and PeaceNational Commission for Justice and PeaceThe National Commission for Justice and Peace was formed in 1985 by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan. It provides services in the field of human rights advocacy. It has six regional offices in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Hyderabad and Quetta, and a head office in...
, a Pakistani ChristianChristianity in PakistanChristianity is the largest religious minority in Pakistan. The total number of Christians in Pakistan is approximately 2,800,000 in 2008, or 1.6% of the population. Of these, approximately half are Roman Catholic and half Protestant...
body, said "We condemn this attack. It is painful to see that people who witness a moderate Islam, such as the Sufi community, are prey to violence. It is also painful to see how even the population of large cities have become vulnerable and a target of terrorism, without any protection...We think the government should take appropriate measures to stop the violence happening now to all moderate people, be they Muslims, Ahmadis, Sufis. The programme of the Taliban is clear, we want that the government act immediately to combat it." However, many people interviewed after the attacks blamedAnti-AmericanismThe term Anti-Americanism, or Anti-American Sentiment, refers to broad opposition or hostility to the people, policies, culture or government of the United States...
the Pakistan government's support for America and drone attacksDrone attacks in PakistanThe United States government, led by the Central Intelligence Agency's Special Activities Division, has made a series of attacks on targets in northwest Pakistan since 2004 using drones . These attacks are part of the US' War on Terrorism campaign, seeking to defeat Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants...
to be the root cause of these bombings. - The Human Rights Commission of PakistanHuman Rights Commission of PakistanThe Human Rights Commission of Pakistan , or HRCP, is an independent, non-profit organization, founded in 1987, which is not associated or affiliated with the government or any political party. It is committed to act with impartiality and objectivity in all matters...
issued a statement saying "The assault demonstrates the potency of militant groups that the government incessantly repeats operate from sanctuaries in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, equally frustrating have been clerics' stock statement that no Muslim can commit such atrocities. Instead of living in denial, the clerics need to reflect on the reasons for religious extremism in Pakistan and the possible consequences and their own contribution to the promotion of intolerance and the cult of violence."
International organisations Catherine Ashton, the foreign affairs chief of the European Union, said "The deadly attack is yet another vivid example of the scale of the terrorist threat and extremism in Pakistan."
Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
strongly condemned the attack saying "the deliberate targeting of a crowded place of worship makes this particularly vicious."
National reactions India issued a statement saying "The government strongly condemns the terrorist attacks on Data Darbar in Lahore and expresses sympathies to the families of the bereaved."
William Hague
William Hague
William Jefferson Hague is the British Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. He served as Leader of the Conservative Party from June 1997 to September 2001...
, the British Foreign Secretary, said "Britain stands alongside the people and government of Pakistan against those who commit such appalling atrocities."
Hillary Clinton condemned the attacks and promised to support Pakistan in its fight against militancy. Leonard Leo
Leonard Leo
Leonard Leo is director of the Lawyers Division and executive vice president of the Federalist Society, and head of "Catholic Outreach" at the Republican National Committee. He also served as an advisor to President George W. Bush on judicial nominees...
, chairman of United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the leadership of both political parties in the Senate...
, called on the Pakistani government to protect the freedom of all religious groups and repeal the country's blasphemy laws
Blasphemy law in Pakistan
The Pakistan Penal Code prohibits blasphemy against any recognized religion, providing penalties ranging from a fine to death. However, in practice, it is only applied to Islam. An accusation of blasphemy commonly subjects the accused, police, lawyers, and judges to harassment, threats, and attacks...
.
Aftermath
Prime Minister Gilani announced that the government and opposition would hold a national conference in order to discuss ways to combat terrorism. The conference was attended by the Chief Ministers of all four Pakistani provinces as well as other officials. Gilani stated that "after being hit hard in northwest Pakistan, terrorists are on the run and seeking refuge in the urban areas of the country, where they are attacking soft targets and spreading sectarian hatred."After the attacks religious leaders of the Barelvi sect accused the Punjab government of having connections with the Taliban. They met with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif
Shahbaz Sharif
Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is a well-known conservative Pakistani politician and currently President of Pakistan Muslim League . He is the brother of Nawaz Sharif, former Prime Minister of Pakistan. He is the chief minister of Pakistan's most populous province Punjab since 2008...
and demanded the resignation of the Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan
Rana Sanaullah Khan
Rana Sanaullah Khan, son of Mr Sher Muhammad Khan, was born on January 1, 1955 at Faisalabad. He Belongs to a Muslim Rajput Family. He obtained the degree of LL.B. in 1981 from Punjab University LawCollege, Lahore. A practising lawyer, who served as Member, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab during...
who had previously campaigned with a leader of the banned militant group Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan
Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan
Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan is a militant Sunni Deobandi organization, and a formerly registered Pakistani political party, established in the early 1980s in Jhang by Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi its stated goal is to primarily to deter major Shia influence in Pakistan in the wake of the Iranian...
. After the meeting, Haji Fazl-e-Karim, one of the Barelvi leaders, told the media "Rana Sanaullah's contacts with terrorists are most obvious, and he must resign."
See also
- Sectarian violence in PakistanSectarian violence in PakistanSectarian violence in Pakistan spark up occasionally between the predominant Sunnis and minority Shias. According to Library of Congress, Pew Research Center, Oxford University, the CIA Factbook and other experts, Shi'a Islam in Pakistan make up 5-20% of the total Muslim population, while the...
- List of terrorist incidents, 2010
- List of terrorist incidents in Pakistan since 2001
- Terrorism in PakistanTerrorism in PakistanTerrorism in Pakistan has become a major and highly destructive phenomenon in recent years. The annual death toll from terrorist attacks has risen from 164 in 2003 to 3318 in 2009, with a total of 35,000 Pakistanis killed as of 2010. According to the government of Pakistan, the direct and indirect...