Iran condemns attack on Shiite pilgrims in Pakistan

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast condemned a recent attack on a busload of Shiite pilgrims in Ganjidori area of Mastung in Pakistan's Balouchestan province.The spokesman voiced sympathy with the bereaved families of the victims of the terrorist incident, and described the attack as a blind move by extremists who seek to stir sectarian strife in Pakistan. He further expressed the hope that Pakistani officials would arrest and punish those behind the attack in a move to prevent similar incidents in future. At least 26 Shiite pilgrims were killed and six others sustained injuries in Ganjidori area of Mastung, about 30 kilometers from Quetta, when a group of armed men attacked a passenger bus carrying Pakistani Shiite pilgrims from Quetta to Iran late last month. According to eyewitness Khushal Khan, the driver of the bus, the passenger bus, carrying 45 passengers, an overwhelming majority of whom were Shiite pilgrims, was on its way to Taftan, a town which shares border with Iran, from Quetta when it was intercepted by assailants armed with sophisticated weapons and rocket launchers. "The assailants asked the passengers to come out, lined them up and then opened fire on them. I fled the scene along with other passengers," Khusal told the reporters. The banned outfit Lashkar-i-Janghvi claimed the responsibility for the attack and its spokesperson who introduced himself as Ali Sher Haideri said his organization will continue to target people from the Shiite community. Assistant Commissioner Shahnwaz Nosherwani confirmed that 26 people were killed and six others sustained injuries in the attack. According to eyewitness accounts, the assailants were in two vehicles. "They blocked the way using a pickup truck and stopped the second vehicle beside the bus. The assailants, who were 8 to 10 in number, asked all the passengers onboard to come down," they said, adding that the firing lasted for about 10 minutes. Pakistani Home Secretary Nasebullah Bazai termed the incident as sectarian violence and said they had no prior information about the pilgrims' journey. This was the second major attack in August targeting the people from the Shiite community. At least 13 people, including children and women, were killed and over 55 others received injuries in a suicide attack on the first day of Eidul Fitar. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the attack and directed authorities to capture those responsible.