‪Pakistan nation ‘celebrates’ Eid amid blood and fear

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - * Mosque guard foils suicide attack on Shia mosque in Islamabad* Gunmen fire on vehicle of politician driving past worshippers leaving a mosque, killing nine people in QuettaQUETTA: Violence marred Eidul Fitr in the country on Friday with gunmen killing nine people in Quetta while a guard in Islamabad shot dead a would-be suicide bomber forcing his way into a mosque.Big Eid congregations were held across the country and special prayers were offered for the progress and prosperity of the country on Friday.Although the government had promised foolproof security, the festivity was marred by violence in Balochistan.In Quetta, gunmen fired on the vehicle of a politician driving past worshippers leaving a mosque, killing nine people and wounding 27, police said.Police official Bashir Brohi said Friday’s shooting seemed to have been aimed at former provincial government minister Ali Muhammad Jattack, who was passing by in a vehicle, but the motive and perpetrators were not clear.“I was the target,” Jattack told media at the scene.“They killed innocent worshippers belonging to different communities. This is against humanity, it is brutality on the level of animals,” said Jattack, who was not hurt.Brohi said most of the victims were coming out of the mosque.“It was an armed attack on the former minister ... it was not an attack on the mosque,” the police official said. In a separate attack in Islamabad, a would-be suicide bomber shot dead a guard and wounded three people as he tried to force his way into a Shia mosque, said officials and witnesses.“Hearing the shots, the second guard went rushing in and shot the bomber in the head,” Raza Muhammad, a witness, told Reuters.Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr Rizwan told the media that the would-be bomber entered Jamia Masjid-e-Ali Ibn-e-Abi Talib in Bhara Kahu but failed to explode his jacket before being gunned down by a security guard.“The guard opened fire on the bomber as he entered the mosque,” the SSP said, adding, “His target was a Shia masque but he could not explode his jacket.”Another police official, Majeedur Rehman, said that a guard was also killed in the exchange of fire with the bomber. Another police official confirmed the guard’s killing. He said that as a result of shootout, four Shias were injured. They included Bilal Hussain, Mudasir Hussain Turi and Syed Jabir Husain.“A suicide bomber targeted a Shia mosque on the outskirts of Islamabad in Bhara Kahu area but could not explode himself due to timely interception by a private security guard,” another police officer, Nasir Mehmood told AFP.“The guard opened fire on the bomber as he entered the mosque and killed him. He could not explode his jacket.”Witnesses said that the would-be suicide attacker pulled out his pistol and opened indiscriminate fire near the entrance of the main hall of the mosque, killing Syed Ameen Hussain, the security guard posted.TV footage showed the body of the attacker lying on the floor of the mosque. The attacker also had a 9mm pistol and hand grenades with him.Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen leaders Allama Amin Shaheedi and Allama Hasnain Gardezi were inside the mosque just before the incident.Soon after the attempted suicide attack, the mosque was sealed by police personnel and the Bomb Disposal Squad defused the suicide vest. It said that around six kilogrammes of explosives and ball bearings were used in the making of vest.Meanwhile, police arrested two suspected militants, allegedly linked with the Friday botched attack and seized weapons from them.According to police, security forces conducted a targeted search operation and arrested the two suspects who are suspected of making bomb. Police also recovered weapons from them.Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed concern over the mosque incident and directed law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant. Security in Islamabad was tightened in the run-up to the Eid holiday. /129