Pakistan imposes curfew in Rawalpindi over Shia killings

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Pakistan has imposed a curfew in the northern city of Rawalpindi after at least eight people were killed and several others injured there.

"A curfew has been imposed in Rawalpindi city to avert further violence following the incidents on Friday," AFP quoted Waseem Ahmed, a police official, as saying on Saturday.

On Friday, gunmen attacked a religious gathering in Rawalpindi near the capital Islamabad.

"The curfew will remain until midnight on Saturday. The whole city has been closed down," the police official said.

The incident took place as Shia Muslim mourners massed to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (Peace Be Upon Him), the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him), on Ashura, the tenth day of the lunar month of Muharram.

"According to the latest figures, we can now confirm the deaths of nine people ... on Friday. At least 68 others were wounded" in the incident, said Deeba Shehnaz, a spokeswoman for rescue services.

Shahbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab province, of which Rawalpindi is a major city, slammed the attack and promised that those behind the incident will be brought to justice.

"We condemn the act of violence in Rawalpindi and sympathize with the aggrieved families. We will take the culprits to the task," he said in a statement.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, a local legislator and a member of the lower house of the parliament from the area, blamed the local administration for the incident, saying, "I declare the local administration responsible for Friday's violent acts. They failed to control the situation."

The country’s Shia leaders have also called on the government to form a judicial commission to investigate the bloodshed, saying attacks on Shia mosques are increasing across Pakistan.

Reports say the anti-Shia terrorist group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), has been behind most of the attacks on Shia Muslims in Pakistan.

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