Bombing highlights Pakistan's sectarian conflict
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In the Pakastani city of Lahore, a triple suicide bombing has killed at least 25 people and injured 180.
Lahore police say the blasts ripped through the crowd at the breaking of fast during the holy month of Ramadan. The first explosion happened shortly after dusk, at the end of a religious procession by some 35,000 Shia muslims. Lahore in Punjab province has been the scene of sectarian violence between Sunni and Shia in recent months.
Presenter: Sen Lam
Speaker: MJ Gohel, chief executive officer of the security research group, Asia Pacific Foundation
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GOHEL: Pakistan has a history of sectarian violence and these atrocities on Wednesday evening are the latest in a string of attacks by Sunni Muslim extremists against the minority Shia Muslims, and also there have been attacks against the other minority sect, the Ahmadi Muslim sect. And the attacks took place at the end of a procession by some 35-thousand Shia Muslims to mark the death in the seventh century of the first Shia Imam, Ali bin Abi Talib, who was a very revered figure for Shia Muslims, and this anniversary is the biggest event in the calendar for Shia Muslims. So obviously the aim here was to try and create further sectarian conflict on this very important holy day for Shia Muslims.
LAM: And because of that, because of that aim, may we assume then that there might be some militant or terrorist link to the attacks as well?
GOHEL: Well as you mentioned the attack took place in Lahore, now Lahore is the capital of Punjab province, and Lahore in the past has been a very peaceful and stable cultural centre. But from being a stable cultural centre, it is now a major battleground. There have been a number of attacks over the last few years. Last year for instance the Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked in March, and earlier this year there were coordinated attacks on two mosques belonging to the Ahmadi sect, when some 80 members were killed. And in Lahore itself there are a number of militant groups operating, including the Pakistan Taliban, the Punjab Taliban, there's the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, the Jaish-e-Mohammad, the Lashkar-e-Toiba; some of these groups are affiliated too, Al Qaeda. So Sunni Muslim militants are involved in these attacks.
LAM: And we've also received reports that some distressed Shia mourners turned on the Lahore police, the police in the city. How destabilising are such attacks on the fabric of not just Lahore society but also Pakistani society?
GOHEL: Well it is very destabilising. Last year after the attacks in Lahore local security officials were quoted as saying that Lahore has been Pakistan's saving grace, and whoever wants to destabilise the country or the government will go after Lahore. And in Pakistan it's believed by the militants that if they can turn Lahore into a battleground, then there is little to prevent the Taliban influence from spreading right across the entire country and turn into a Taliban state. So what's happening in Lahore is very important.
LAM: And MJ on a separate matter the US has charged Pakistani Taliban chief, Hakimullah Mehsud with terrorism for his alleged role in the killing of seven Americans at a CIA base in Afghanistan. In real practice terms what does this mean?
GOHEL: Well this is a very important development also. The Pakistan Taliban is led by Hakimullah Mehsud and it was believed in the past that the Pakistan Taliban restricted its activities to within Pakistan. However in recent times they have become very ambitious. If as it's been alleged have been involved in this attack in Afghanistan, it shows that they have a much bigger agenda. It's also believed that the Pakistan Taliban may have been involved in this attack in Lahore on Wednesday evening. And on top of that the Pakistan Taliban, led by Hakimullah Mehsud, is believed to have been involved with Faisal Shahzad, the New York Times Square bomber, and so that again shows the reach of this group, that it's increasing not only within the region, but well beyond the region.
