2003 Quetta mosque bombing

2003 Quetta mosque bombing
Map of Quetta
Location	Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan
Date	July 4, 2003 (2003-07-04) (Pakistan Standard Time)
Attack type	Hand grenades and Shooting
Deaths	44
Non-fatal injuries	at least 65

2003 Quetta mosque bombing was first of its kind terrorist, sectarian^[1] attack as for the first time a suicide bomber was used^[2] and one of the deadliest attacks^[3] 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^[4] and started shooting, threw hand grenades and one suicide bomber blew himself which left more than 50 dead and tens of others injured.^[5] 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.

Bombing

On Friday July 4, 2003 hundreds of worshipers were practicing Friday prayer in Asna Ashri Hazara Imambargah Kalan (mosque). Two men armed with automatic weapons^[6] enter the mosque start shooting and throwing hand grenades for ten continuous minutes, the third wearing suicide vest walked into the worshipers and blew himself. This incident left more 50 dead and tens of others injured.^[7]

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.^[8]

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.^[9][10] On his return in Islambad, he said^[11]

Whether they are religious extremists or sectarian extremists they are ignorant and wild.

See also

• Persecution of Hazara people
• 2004 Quetta Ashura massacre
• 2011 Mastung bus shooting
• September 2010 Quetta bombing
• 2011 Hazara Town shooting

References