Deaths 44 | Non-fatal injuries at least 65 | |
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Location Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan Date July 4, 2003 (2003-07-04) (Pakistan Standard Time) Attack type Hand grenades and Shooting | ||
2003 Quetta mosque bombing was first of its kind terrorist, sectarian attack as for the first time a suicide bomber was used and one of the deadliest attacks on Hazara people, the Shia minority in southwestern city of Quetta, in Balochistan province of Pakistan. On Friday July 4, 2003 when hundreds of worshipers were offering Friday prayer, three armed men enter the Asna Ashari Hazara Imambargah and started shooting, threw hand grenades and one suicide bomber blew himself which left more than 50 dead and tens of others injured. It was second major sectarian attack on Hazara community in Quetta after the massacre of Police cadets. It was the start of the Series of Hazara Killings in Quetta.
Contents
Bombing
On Friday July 4, 2003 hundreds of worshipers were practicing Friday prayer in Asna Ashri Hazara Imambargah Kalan (mosque). five men armed with automatic weapons enter the mosque start shooting for ten continuous minutes and tried to throw grenade but it blew in his hand, people disarmed one of them and killed third one. tow of them ran away from the roof. This incident left more 65 dead and tens of others injured.
Perpetrators
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), a banned terrorist group, was responsible for the attack on the mosque. After investigations the Intelligence agencies found a video compact disc in which two people are shown who claimed their people attacked on the mosque and they were going to meet them in the paradise.
Response
Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan at the time, winded up his 18-day trip to America and Europe. He was in a news conference in Paris when he heard the news. On his return in Islambad, he said
Whether they are religious extremists or sectarian extremists they are ignorant and wild.