At least 70 dead in suicide attack on Sufi shrine in Pakistan, ISIS claims responsibility

It is being reported that Thursday is one of the more busier days at the shrine, which is dedicated to Sufi shrine Lal Shahbaz Qalandar

By: Dhairya Maheshwari |
February 17, 2017 7:08 am

At least 70 people were killed and over 150 others wounded in a Fidayeen attack at a popular Sufi shrine in Pakistan’s Sindh province on Thursday evening. The suicide attacker detonated the bomb among worshippers at the Sufi shrine of saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in the town of Sehwan, , according to police.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the ghastly attack that has been condemned by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. This is the largest in the series of bombings Pakistan witnessed this week.

The attacker reportedly blew himself up near the site where the ritual of sufi dance ‘Dhamal’ was taking place. He also threw a grenade which did not explode, SSP Jamshoro Tariq Wilayat said.

#Pakistan: DSP Sehwan says death toll from attack at Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’s shrine now stands at around 100, reports Karachi Post pic.twitter.com/xItULIAvsl

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 16, 2017

#UPDATE: IS claims bombing at Lal Shahbaz shrine in Sehwan, reports AFP #Pakistan

— ANI (@ANI_news) February 16, 2017

It is being reported that Thursday is one of the more busier days at the shrine, which is dedicated to Sufi shrine Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. This is the fourth major terror attack in the south Asian country in the last five days. A terror attack reportedly carried out by Tehreek-e-Taliban on Peshawar had resulted in the seven deaths on Thursday. Two days before the Peshawar attack, a suicide bombing in Lahore left at least 13 dead.

10 dead, over 70 injured in blast inside sufi shrine in Sehwan; happened during Thursday Dhamal when large crowds gather; rescue underway

— Osama Bin Javaid (@osamabinjavaid) February 16, 2017

Reports of explosions in Sehwan near the shrine of sufi saint lal shahbaz qalandar #Pakistan

— Osama Bin Javaid (@osamabinjavaid) February 16, 2017

(Source: Twitter/Osama Bin Javaid)

The country has been battling various terrorist groups including the likes of the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi since the country’s powerful military began its crackdown on these Sunni militant outfits in recent years. Thousands of Islamist radicals have been killed as part of the military operation. However, the country’s population has paid the price as militant groups have retaliated to the security operations and carried out major terrorist attacks on Pakistan’s crowded cities and non-Sunni places of worship.