Lahore: Attackers strike sect mosques in Pakistan; 20 dead

[Justin Joseph]

Lahore: Attackers strike sect mosques in Pakistan; 20 dead

By BABAR DOGAR (AP) – 47 minutes ago

LAHORE, Pakistan — Gunmen armed with grenades attacked two mosques of a minority sect during Friday prayers in eastern Pakistan, seizing control of one mosque and battling with police, officials and witnesses said. At least 20 people were killed, and worshippers were believed held hostage.

The attacks by suspected Islamist militants in Lahore city targeted the Ahmadi sect, which has experienced years of state-sanctioned discrimination and occasional attacks by radical Sunnis. It has never before been hit on such a large scale or coordinated fashion.

One of the attackers climbed atop the minaret of one of the mosques, firing an assault rifle and throwing hand grenades, TV footage showed. Outside, police were engaged in a fierce gunfight with the attackers, an Associated Press reporter at the scene said.

Police officer Imtiaz Ahmad said several attackers were inside and were suspected to be holding hostages.

Outside the other mosque several kilometers (miles) away, a witness complained of police inaction when the attackers struck.

"I asked the policeman to open fire. He told me he could not because he only had four bullets in his gun," said Ghalib Hussain.

Dr Rizan Nasir said 20 people had been killed in one mosque. Figures were not available for the other.

Pakistan has seen scores of attacks by groups of Islamist militants against government, Western and security force targets over the past three years. Lahore, the second largest city in the country and a vital a military and political center, has been the scene of several.

Many Islamist militants believe it is permissible or honorable to kill non-Muslims, or even those Muslims who do not share their views.

The Ahmadis call themselves Muslims but believe their founder declared himself a prophet centuries after Muhammad, who other Muslims believe was the final prophet. They have long been subject to informal and state-sanctioned discrimination in Pakistan.

An Ahmadi spokesman said the sect abhors violence and was deeply concerned about the attacks.

"We are a peaceful people and monitoring the situation and hoping and praying that the authorities are able to take all necessary action to bring the situation to normalcy with the least number of casualties," Waseem Sayed said via e-mail from the United States, where he lives.

Under pressure from hard-liners, the Pakistani government in the 1970s declared the Ahmadi a non-Muslim minority. They are prohibited from calling themselves Muslims or engaging in Muslim practices such as reciting Islamic prayers.

There are an estimated 4 million Ahmadis in Pakistan out of a total Muslim population of around 170 million.

The Associated Press: Attackers strike sect mosques in Pakistan; 20 dead

 

[Justin Joseph]

Deadly attack on mosques in Pakistani city of Lahore

The BBC's Orla Guerin: "We have seen these co-ordinated attacks before"

Gunmen have attacked two mosques of the minority Ahmadi Islamic sect in the Pakistani city of Lahore, killing at least 16 people, officials say.

It is feared the death-toll will rise, as both mosques were packed for Friday midday prayers at the time of the attacks, and gunfire continues.

Police are reported to have entered one of the buildings, while a stand-off continues at the second.

Lahore has been the scene of a string of brazen militant attacks.

Gunmen are reported to be holding worshippers as hostages inside the mosque in the heavily built-up Garhi Shahu area.
'Indiscriminate' firing

Police say they have taken control of the other mosque, in the nearby Model Town area, after a two-hour gunfight.

One militant was killed and two others have been arrested, police say.
WHO ARE THE AHMADIS?
Continue reading the main story

* A minority Islamic sect founded in 1889, Ahmadis believe their own founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who died in 1908, was a prophet
* This is anathema to most Muslims who believe the last prophet was Muhammad, who died in 632
* Most Ahmadi followers live in the Indian subcontinent
* Ahmadis have been the subject of sectarian attacks and persecution in Pakistan and elsewhere
* In 1974 the Pakistani government declared the sect non-Muslim

A dozen ambulances have taken the dead and injured to hospitals.

Eyewitnesses told the BBC the gunmen launched simultaneous attacks on the two mosques.

A number of gunmen were reported to have opened fire indiscriminately in the Model Town mosque.

They were said to be armed with AK-47 rifles, shotguns, grenades and possibly other explosive devices.

TV footage showed one attacker atop a minaret, firing an assault rifle and throwing grenades as police engaged in a fierce gunfight with militants below.

Punjab police chief Tariq Salim Dogar said fighting was continuing at the Garhi Shahu mosque.

Mr Dogar said: "Our immediate priority is to reach the injured and take them to hospital, and to capture the terrorists if they are still inside the mosque."
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The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Islamabad says the attacks appear to be sectarian in nature.

They come after at least 45 people were killed in March when two suicide bombers attacked a crowded residential area.

Sectarian attacks have been carried out by various militant groups in Punjab province, and across Pakistan in the past.

In Pakistan the Ahmadis have been declared a non-Muslim minority and have been subject to a number of restrictions.

The group has been targeted by radical Sunni groups in the past.

These were simultaneous attacks on two mosques at a time when they were packed with people attending Friday prayers. Gunfire broke out at both the Model Town and Garhi Shahu mosques. It was followed by explosions. There are still exchanges of fire between police and gunmen, some of whom have been seen taking positions at the tops of minarets. Both of the places of worship attacked were for followers of a minority sect of Islam, the Ahmadis. Many hardline Muslims here believe them to be infidels and they've been targeted by militants in the past

BBC News - Deadly attack on mosques in Pakistani city of Lahore