The International Herald Tribune

Shiites riot in Karachi over bombing at mosque
~~article_author~~ AP
Wednesday, June 02, 2004

KARACHI, Pakistan Shiite Muslims, enraged by a mosque bombing that killed 20 worshippers, battled policemen and burned American fast-food restaurants Tuesday as the government struggled to contain a third day of violence in Pakistan's largest city. Mass funerals for the victims of Monday's attack sparked what appeared to be orchestrated rioting as hundreds of youths rampaged near the wrecked Imam Bargah Ali Raza mosque, stoning police and setting fire to shops and buses.

Along a quarter-mile battle-scarred stretch of Karachi's main road, men with guns took up four or five positions on rooftops and fired at police and paramilitary rangers. Police Chief Asad Ashraf Malik said that four policemen had been wounded by gunfire, and that 150 people had been arrested, in addition to more than 50 detained during street riots Monday night.

Asad threatened more force. "We have decided not to be lenient," he said. "If anyone goes on the streets to cause trouble, they will be dealt with strictly."

Karachi, a city of 14 million, is no stranger to armed violence motivated by crime, politics and religion. Sectarian strife between militant elements of majority Sunni Muslims and minority Shiites has only deepened since General Pervez Musharraf, the president, gave his support to the U.S.-led war on terrorism in late 2001.

But the city has endured three unusually turbulent weeks since a May 7 suicide attack at a Shiite mosque killed 22 people. It was followed by clashes during elections that left at least 10 dead and a twin car bombing near the U.S. consul general's residence last week that killed a policeman and wounded 40 others.

The drive-by shooting Sunday of prominent Sunni cleric, Nazamuddin Shamzai, triggered unrest and raised fears of sectarian clashes - a fear magnified after Monday's bombing at the Shiite mosque, which killed 20 people and injured 75. The police say they suspect it was a suicide attack, but have few clues about who was behind it.

No one has taken responsibility for any of the recent attacks.

Musharraf pledged action to stem the bloodshed, but no new measures were announced. Separately, he warned in a speech to representatives of Muslim countries that the world risked plunging into an "abyss of barbarism" unless it tackled the poverty and alienation that feeds Islamic extremism.

Information Minister Sheik Rashid Ahmed said the president was expected to make "important decisions" in the coming days - perhaps replacing the leadership of the Karachi or provincial security establishment - but appeared to rule out the possibility of emergency rule by the army. Among the some 10,000 mourners who gathered for the funerals Tuesday, many vented anger at Musharraf, chanting "Death to America!" and slogans against his government as they beat their chests in grief.


IHT Copyright © 2004 The International Herald Tribune | www.iht.com