May 28th, 2010
11:00 AM ET

At least 80 killed in Lahore attacks

[Updated at 11:00 a.m.] At least 80 people have been killed in the Lahore, Pakistan, attacks, a senior government official said.

[Updated at 9:28 a.m.] At least 70 people have been killed and 78 have been injured in attacks in Lahore, Pakistan, a senior government official said.

[Posted at 7:58 a.m.] Bombing attacks in Pakistan targeting houses of worship for a persecuted religious minority have killed at least 25 people, officials said on Friday.

The strikes took place at two mosques in Lahore belonging to the Ahmadi religious group.

At least 20 people were killed at the Baitul Noor place of worship in the Model Town region after two attackers on motorbikes fired at the entrance of the building and tossed hand grenades, a rescue official told CNN.

Police have since cleared the scene, and one of the attackers is critically injured. The other clad in a suicide jacket was detained.

In the other location, Garhi Shahu, at least five bodies were recovered, the official said. One witness there told CNN he saw two attackers armed with AK-47s and another witness said he saw at least four gunmen.

Ahmadis regard themselves as Muslim. But the government says they aren't and many Muslim extremists have targeted them.

The group, which is thought to number between 3- and 4 million people in the country, endures "the most severe legal restrictions and officially-sanctioned discrimination" among Pakistan's religious minorities, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

USCIRF, an independent, bipartisan U.S. government commission, said in its latest annual report that "Ahmadis may not call their places of worship 'mosques,' worship in non-Ahmadi mosques or public prayer rooms which are otherwise open

to all Muslims, perform the Muslim call to prayer, use the traditional Islamic greeting in public, publicly quote from the Koran, or display the basic affirmation of the Muslim faith."

The agency says it's illegal for the group to preach publicly, pursue converts, pass out religious material, restricted from holding public conferences and traveling to Saudi Arabia for the hajj pilgrimage.

 Post by:
Filed under: Pakistan
soundoff (17 Responses)
  1. NEWSFLASH

    Take regular people, add a dash of religion, and presto~ Dead people!

    May 28, 2010 at 9:36 am | Report abuse |
  2. damiao

    That's right Newflash in the name of stupid radicalism people are killed and kill a lot of people around. http://www.englishtips-self-taught.blogspot.com

    May 28, 2010 at 9:39 am | Report abuse |
  3. Xavier John

    What do you expect from pedophile worshipers?

    http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/04/09/yemen.child.bride.death/index.html

    This is a link to a story from Yemen.

    A Yemeni man, 23 married a 13 year old girl and tried intercourse (a pedophile). The girl died of internal bleeding. The clerics defended the man’s right to follow his prophet Mohammad, who had intercourse with a (under )12 year old when he was 54. So in US justice department's eyes Prophet Mohammad is a pedophile.

    So is it possible to be Muslim and moral simultaneously?

    Either you support Mohammad (a pedophile) or you are moral.

    May 28, 2010 at 11:30 am | Report abuse |
    • szuberi

      the story about prophet mohammad getting married to a 9 year old comes from the fake books of hadith that 99% muslims believe in as divine and the prophet's direct word. the Quran says marry those with whom you have a mutual likeness and understnading. a girl that young can never have the maturity level to plan on getting married.

      if only muslims be moderate and think rationally, all these social evils will go away.

      May 28, 2010 at 12:38 pm | Report abuse |
  4. ahmadi muslim

    “Inna Lillahi, Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajioon – To God we belong, and to God we return.” This is the muslim prayer that one recites upon learning the news of a loss. This is a deep, tremendous loss for our community. Even the death of a single brother, even the passing of a single sister is intolerable. It is intolerable even when the blood of that loss does not fall on anyone’s hands. Imagine my pain this day, when you murderer’s have robbed scores of my precious brothers and sisters of life. Imagine my pain when you have done so in the name of my beautiful and pure religion, in the name of my beloved prophet Muhammad Mustafa, and in the name of the True Beloved – Allah, the All-seeing, All-Knowing God. Yet this is the pain that My God – Who is One and Who is the Source of Peace – this is the pain Allah has taught me to bear.

    O Allah, may those who were martyred today, while they gathered to praise and worship You Who is alone worthy of worship, may they be granted the highest station in paradise and may their loved ones be strengthened with patience and steadfastness. Amen.

    May 28, 2010 at 12:15 pm | Report abuse |
    • szuberi

      Isnt it written in the books of ahmadi religion that mr. ahmadi has the knowledge of the future...just like God. there is no mention of any ahmadi imam as a figure in religion. yours is just another sect among many in islam that divides people and gives them a reason to hate and fight. the quran is clear that be not divided among sects.

      May 28, 2010 at 12:40 pm | Report abuse |
    • Tate

      The signs of the end of the 3rd dimension is the Sun in the sky turns from yellow to white and the Seas turn black.
      Since the Sun turned White, God has tested his Human children. The test is "Do you love God? " ALL your brothers and sister have passed the test and are with God. Be happy for them.
      I am writing this because I feel you really care.
      I want to tell you about the future so you do not suffer needlessly.
      There is a new Earth built in the 5th dimension. You get there by praying To God and Meditating.
      When you do this the vibration raises. When it reaches the level of that Earth you just disappear from here and appear there. you do not fly in the air or in spacecraft.

      Within 3 years we are going to see terrible things happening: earth quakes ,volcanoes,weather, weird accidents, and land sinking to the bottom of the ocean. DO NOT be upset when you can not find someones body.....They went to the new physical world. The bright children of today will be the teachers and leaders there.
      The Aztecs, Toltec's, Mayan and 6 others that disappeared and scientists can not figure out why...they just went to the next dimension up....the people listened to the teachers God provided.
      Meditate on this... you will find this IS God's truth.
      Science wise, look up basic Chemistry. The Protons and Electrons which have been argued whether they are a Wave or Particle has recently been found to be Vibrations. Vibration is what separates Dimensions or Parallel Universes.

      May 28, 2010 at 8:30 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Summer Khan

    These attacks are a reflection the ugly face of the religious leaders of Pakistan. They are responsible for the grief of hundreds of orphans and widows. Why? because they dare claim that they are Muslims.The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has been the target of brutal and systematic attacks at the hands of un-islamic extremists for decades. The violence continues today without recourse to the rule of law. The Pakistani government has in force anti-Ahmadi legislation spurring on these kinds of atrocites. This persecution is a violation of human rights condemned by the UN and yet it continues. The government refuses to repeal these laws and bows to the demands of extremist Mullahs. The opponents of Ahmadiyyat in Islam should realise, history bears testament that Allah always stands by His true believers, nullifying their apponents.

    May 28, 2010 at 2:18 pm | Report abuse |
  6. vkmo

    Religion was created in the desert of Saudi Arabia, and is not really appropriate for big population areas. It is easily twisted for violent attacks like this.

    May 28, 2010 at 2:56 pm | Report abuse |
  7. bruceben9

    may the world wake up to the reality of islam being one of the worst things to ever darken the planet. what an atrocity this cult is.

    May 28, 2010 at 4:30 pm | Report abuse |
    • Usama

      I am extremely sorry that you feel that way about Islam in this way. If only you knew what Islam actually teaches. So please I encourage you read the Holy Quran and learn about the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. When you read about the teachings you will come to understand how beautiful this religion is.

      May 30, 2010 at 7:46 am | Report abuse |
  8. glashafmt

    What difference does it make if some have a different belief than others? I have my beliefs, let others have theirs. Is that so hard? Let "God" or "Allah" or "Jehovah" or whoever the real God is to sort it out. Are we so arrogant to think that whomever we believe God to be can't handle it his/herself? Who are any of us to play God and kill others who don't believe as we do?

    May 29, 2010 at 3:22 am | Report abuse |
    • Zolicon

      I agree with You.Who ae We to Play God?
      Remember God said "Judge not Lest Yee Be Judged".
      Zloicon

      May 30, 2010 at 12:06 pm | Report abuse |
  9. bruceben9

    the islamic religion kills more 'non-believers' than any other religion. some will say 'well, what about the christian crusades?' that was hundreds of years ago and we don't need the islamic crusades today. down with islam. also, where is the outrage from the islamic world? disingenuous these muslims are, very disingenuous.

    May 29, 2010 at 2:27 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Zolicon

    @gbudavid
    Don't You want to Give Peace a Try?
    My Logic is the Best Logic,Because it is the Logic that wants World Peace.
    I for one would much rather Live in a World where I Spoke German or Russian.Than in this World that is Over Come by Hatred and Extreme Voilence,And Total Contempt for the other Humans and Life forms that Live on the Planet.
    Zolicon

    May 30, 2010 at 12:02 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Zolicon

    gbudavid added 15 minutes ago .
    @FAFAF you didn't read my comment? Teddy Roosevelt said it best..."walk softly and Carry a big Stick"
    So Yeah We can give peace a chance if you want. I however will adhere to the Peace Through Strength Philosophy

    Give Kudos (0 Kudos received) Mark as "Fighting Words" What's this? .
    .Edit (11:16)DeleteReport FAFAF added 3 minutes ago .
    @gbudavid
    I did Read Your Comment.
    THe Problem with That Philosophy is it Only Delivers Death and Distruction not Peace.
    Here are the Cold hard Facts of how the Human Mind Works.
    You Biulld a Sling Shot.
    I will Build a Bow and Arrows.
    You Build a Bow and Arrows
    I will Build a Gun.
    You Build a Gun.
    I wll Build a Cannon.
    You Build a Cannon.
    I will Build a Balistic Missle.
    No matter what You Build I will Build something better.
    I hope that Makes My Point on Your carry a Big Stick Philosophy.
    Zolicon

    May 30, 2010 at 12:24 pm | Report abuse |
« Back to main