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Hangu incident not sectarian, Senate told
 The government claimed on Friday that bomb blast at Hangu on Ashura was not a sectarian incident and was an act of terrorism. Dr Shahzad Wasim, the minister of state for interior, told the Senate that 27 people were killed while 47 were injured when a bomb exploded at the site of a Shia gathering on Ashura. The incident sparked violence and an enraged mob burnt 20 shops. It was for sure not a sectarian incident; it was a terrorism attack. We are investigating whether it was a suicide attack, the minister said in response to a point of order raised by Professor Khurshid Ahmed of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal. The house also offered fateha for the victims. Dr Wasim said there was no Sunni-Shia hatred in the country and both schools of thought respect each others beliefs. He said the provincial government had initiated a judicial inquiry into the incident while the federal government would also hold an inquiry at the highest level. He said the government had announced Rs 100,000 for each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for each injured. He said the crime was committed by people who wanted to create differences among various sects. The minister said the government condemned the incident and vowed that the culprits would be taken to task. Posted by: Fred 2006-02-11 |
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