TTP Jamatul Ahrar claims attack on Rawalpindi imambargah

E-Paper | June 06, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The Jamatul Ahrar faction of banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Saturday claimed responsibility for Friday's bomb attack on an imambargah in Rawalpindi, which killed eight people and wounded 16 others.

The powerful explosion on Friday night in the city triggered chaos as dozens of minority Shias gathered at the imambargah to distribute alms to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him).

“We claim responsibility of the attack on the imambargah and vow to continue such attacks,” spokesman of Jamatul Ahrar, Ehsanullah Ehsan, said in an email.

Also read: Pindi’s sectarian wounds bleed again

Pakistan has strengthened its own offensive against the Taliban since their attack on Peshawar’s Army Public School on December 16 killed 150 people, 134 of them children.

The country ended its six-year-old moratorium on the death penalty in terror cases last month in the wake of the massacre.

Nine convicted militants have been hanged so far since the de facto ban on capital punishment ended.

To further boost its efforts, the government on Friday announced it was setting up nine military courts to hear terrorism-related cases.

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Sunil

Jan 10, 2015 12:54pm

TTP is further divided in to different factions, something surprising, and the leader must be Jamatul Ahrar the leader. Pakistan needs to find this man.

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Sami

Jan 10, 2015 12:55pm

This virus of intolerance perpetuated by stone-age people with medieval mindset is supposed to achieve what?

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Husain Jan

Jan 10, 2015 01:06pm

This group - the so-called Jamatul Ahrar - has shamelessly announced having carried out a few other attacks too before this one but its leader / spolesman Ehsanullah Ehsan or other terrorists of the group have not been apprehended so far. Is the govt waiting for them to carry many more of such attacks before thinking about going after it ? Isn't enough is enough already ?? In this era of hightech, email sender can easily...repeat easily be tracked but no such person is reported to have been arrested so far. Why ?

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ahmed

Jan 10, 2015 01:15pm

where they come from? need more police.

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Ahmed

Jan 10, 2015 01:58pm

the perpetrators have send an email and have accepted the crime. Why don't the law enforcement agencies track down the source of that email and bring them to justice ?

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Kamal Pasha

Jan 10, 2015 01:58pm

Now people are helping the security forces by pointing the hideouts of terrorists. These terrorist are now not safe in the cities.

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indian

Jan 10, 2015 02:03pm

Empty promises. What abour malik ishq being released?

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Tahir A

Jan 10, 2015 02:27pm

Everyone knows the key players of Jamatul Ahrar faction are freely mixing, gathering, giving hateful speeches and appearing on TV channels in different guises and garbs but no one dares take action because most of the public thinks that they are doing an excellent job in their crusades and agendas set by the money supplying Wahabi nations. Question: Why doesn't any poitical leader then have the gall to stand up and stop this menace for the sake of peace and prosperity of the country? It is so glaringly obvious. But at the end of the day money buys everything and the simple tenets of the religion are compromised by greed.

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Akhtar

Jan 10, 2015 02:29pm

The TTP are savages. Any cleric that supports or defends their position should be hanged. By now people should realise that the TTP are miserere and common criminals. The state needs to hunt them down and eliminate them.

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Babay

Jan 10, 2015 02:52pm

Why the police and intelligence agencies failed to fore see the danger right in the heart city.

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Riaz

Jan 10, 2015 02:53pm

Government alone cannot fight this menace. Support of the nation is a must; security guards alone are not the solutions. Sector/Mohallah/Village committees be made immediately to join this fight. These committees should preferably include members from different sects/religions, where possible. RETIRED government servants( both civil and military ) must volunteer to support this cause.

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Riaz

Jan 10, 2015 02:55pm

@Sunil Agreed; I may ,however, recommend that major focus should be on sponsors to cut their resources.

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Riaz

Jan 10, 2015 02:59pm

@Husain Jan Because people among us are willing to provide shelter to these criminals; the nation needs to unite against terrorism/sectarianism and support government efforts in this cause.

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Riaz

Jan 10, 2015 03:00pm

@ahmed No; need the Nation to unite and rise against this menace.

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Riaz

Jan 10, 2015 03:01pm

@Ahmed The Email is surely misleading.

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Riaz

Jan 10, 2015 03:03pm

@Kamal Pasha I hope we do so as a nation and don't let these criminals find a safe place in Pakistan.

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Riaz

Jan 10, 2015 03:04pm

@indian Provide credible evidence if you have to help in his prosecution; stop blame game.

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Riaz

Jan 10, 2015 03:06pm

@Tahir A We need to get out of sectarianism and stop support of terrorists.

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Riaz

Jan 10, 2015 03:10pm

@Akhtar Though I am against terrorists, I always plead for justice. Credible evidence is must to punish any accused and we need to do so when we hold any proof. I, somehow, don't believe in Emails/tapes etc claiming the responsibility; these could be misleading or an effort to settle score somewhere.

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asif

Jan 10, 2015 03:15pm

Watch out this could be ploy to take attention away from culprits.

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Athar

Jan 10, 2015 03:15pm

Being Pakistani I opposed the attackers on the Immambargah, they are here to vanish the true motley Pakistan. If they didn't belong to us they why they are called Taliban Pakistan. Please for sake of the Lord don't blame us they belongs to non!

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Chi ben

Jan 10, 2015 03:21pm

Condolences to families of the deceased. Full support to army to take war to the dens of the terrorists. Crush the head of the snake. Whole of Pakistan is behind you.

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saleem

Jan 10, 2015 03:28pm

As long as we tax payers are footing the living expenses of terrorists in the jail, these blasts will continue to happen. Judges are giving relief and terrorists are taking advantage of this situation.

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Jan 10, 2015 03:29pm

Continuous Denial is harming and will keep harming..... Accept and mend head on...( and the world will accept you )

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S.Nawaz

Jan 10, 2015 04:11pm

BTW, who is the recipient of that Email?

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Akram

Jan 10, 2015 04:21pm

Ehsanullah Ehsan, your days are numbered. We are coming for you.

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whatthefuk

Jan 10, 2015 05:02pm

If the Govt wants to find these Terrorists,they will not have to look Far.

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AHA

Jan 10, 2015 05:12pm

From the early 1980's, we embarked on the path of intolerance. What else can we expect out of this.

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MMS

Jan 10, 2015 05:32pm

Why is it, when the terrorists attack any form of an armed force representative or armed force real estate, the culprit is found and apprehended in a matter of days, while the killing of shias becomes a difficult and burdensome feat. Something does not seem right.

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farhad

Jan 10, 2015 05:32pm

so terrorists are divided like us as well.............

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jan

Jan 10, 2015 05:45pm

you can ban some web sites, but cant trace email sender. What a joke

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Well wisher

Jan 10, 2015 06:22pm

Pakistanis - read your true history and understand how these monstrosities were created. Read "Taliban" by Ahmed rashid. You will understand the problem. There is no easy solution to your problems but a slow systematic change to the mindset of a whole nation. Till pakistan realizes that tolerance,progress and peace with neighbors are what is needed for national security more than strategic depth - these problems won't be solved Pakistani military (read Zia) was the creator of your problems and going back to Pak military(military courts) for a solution to the problem will not help. Pakistan currently exists for the Pak military and not vice versa. Military people cannot solve your societal problems. Stop treating this as a pure law and order problem but instead as a virulent ideology that has infected your society and antidote is changing the course , which starts with schooling your kids true history. Wish you good luck and please support dawn/people like hoodboy/paracha- they are your last hope.

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Malik sb

Jan 10, 2015 06:33pm

He will never be caught unless our government stops receiving 1 billion USD aid from Saudi Arabia. Everyone knows who is the master mind of sectarianism.

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Jan 10, 2015 06:39pm

This group needs to be taken care of urgently.

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OhFlogMePlease!

Jan 10, 2015 06:54pm

@Riaz: It seems today is YOUR DAY to SHINE, huh? Got a job?

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TAHIR

Jan 10, 2015 06:55pm

Shame ,all this blood shed and no effective policy or steps to curb the extremism. Government of Shahbaz and Nawaz Sharif should step down and let the Armed Forces clamp a nation wide Martial law and deal with the situation. Any other country in the west would have done it

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karachiwala

Jan 10, 2015 07:17pm

The white color in our national flag represents minority. Why do Dawn write shias as minority, it is for non muslims only.

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Raja

Jan 10, 2015 08:16pm

Army will find these terrorists and execute them, it is just matter of time.

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wizarat

Jan 10, 2015 08:17pm

How do you tell the hand that feeds you to stop killing your people? The Saudis and Qataris must be told by the public in clear terms that enough is enough and all support to the Taliban must be stopped immediately.

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A. Hyder,Ph.D.

Jan 10, 2015 08:18pm

When people make derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) they are killed by guns and when people celebrate Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) they are killed by bombs. Will some body explain?

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Iftikhar Khan

Jan 10, 2015 08:49pm

Why is he not in most wanted list. Dead or alive. There should be hot pursuit of People of his level and mid level recruiters.

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Taimur

Jan 10, 2015 09:36pm

Shall mullahs like Fazl ur Rehman demand death sentence for those who claimed that they have carried out This terrorist activity? Why out mullahs forget teachings of Islam when they find that the killers are frm their madrassas

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Syed Ali Hussain

Jan 10, 2015 09:53pm

It is strange that Jamaat Ahrar (Liberal Party) are killings the people who hail Hazrat Hur. Media should not write their complete name because they do not deserve to be Ahrar as they are enemies of Liberty on the Earth in general and partcular in Pakistan. Abbreviations such as TTP, LeJ etc should be given to these Killers of Humanity. This attack is against the solidarity keeping in view the once voice of all the leading parties and the establishment of Pakistan and that too right in the center of Pakistan where Government of Pakistan quarters are located. We are loosing Pakistanis on daily basis in the name of target killing, terrorism, sectariansim etc. Every form of terrorism has been applied and practices. The borders are also disturbed by the Moodi's India who is redefining India on religio-coporate basis.

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Sindhu ranja

Jan 10, 2015 10:32pm

When this snakes head is cut off it won't grow another one it's just a matter of time they can run but can't hide

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Ayesha

Jan 10, 2015 10:42pm

No body can enter your homes, unless you invite them.

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karachiwala

Jan 10, 2015 10:47pm

The white color in our national flag is for minority, why news papers write shias as minority. If educated does not understand, what can we expect from the terrorists.

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rabia

Jan 10, 2015 11:06pm

Stil people are released on the request of Arab leaders , which mean political leaders are compromising national security for the sake of Arabs who are exporting extremism with the support of parties

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Riaz

Jan 10, 2015 11:06pm

@A. Hyder,Ph.D. Ask their sponsors.

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Yemeen Zuberi

Jan 10, 2015 11:13pm

The report does not say anything about Ehsanullah Ehsan's whereabouts.

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Riaz

Jan 10, 2015 11:18pm

@Husain Jan I don't understand as to why should they claim to have done an act of terrorism; to be honoured or to be targeted? or Is there is someone else doing it and blaming their opponents to mislead? Normally, such crimes are denied and not accepted. or Do they get their reward from their sponsors after such a claim? I am really confused as to who is the culprit.

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shamain

Jan 10, 2015 11:51pm

@indian very fair point

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Ali

Jan 11, 2015 12:09am

@ahmed They are in the madressas of Pakistan.

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samina

Jan 11, 2015 12:09am

Over and again, this guy freely sends emails and make phone calls to joyously announce that he and his followers committed murder and our intelligence fails to track and put him behind bars! how insane!

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aftab, nj

Jan 11, 2015 12:57am

@A. Hyder,Ph.D. you don't need a PhD to understand the yazids of our time.

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javed

Jan 11, 2015 04:30am

The answer to having law and order and security boils down to having a strong and determined and corrupt less government. Have we a corrupt less and determined government? His own brother was behind the Model Town massacre- yet nothing was done. Nothing can be achieved as long as this corrupt government and that includes Zardari as well, to be still in power.

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Yawar

Jan 11, 2015 04:39am

Why are we calling them Jamat-ul-Ahrar? Are not the days of the Good and Bad Taliban over?

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sreejesh

Jan 11, 2015 07:33am

An open letter to ehsanullah ehsan&team from a gandhian.If Your supporters are brave enough,don't make them suicide bombers.Let them surrender before court and declare fasting until death if government forces committed any atrocities against You.Don't Target Security forces.They are looking after Security of civilians from inhuman activity or natural forces.If You surrender yours arms,You Will not targeted by them at all.

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ali

Jan 11, 2015 08:59am

The army should go after them forthwith as they have accepted the attack on the Imambargah in R`Pindi.Ehsan has promised more attacks which means that the operation of the army has so far had no effect on them, it also means that the operation should be intensified without delay both in Northern areas and also in the cities and no harm in taking help from US or China or even Turkey in the form of training and latest armaments as this is a different kind of a war.

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Shehzad

Jan 13, 2015 01:28pm

This country is dominated by hypocrites. Unless and until the nation recognizes its true enemy who is destroying and exploiting it since 1948 Kashmir war, nothing good is going to happen. The wolves in sheep's clothing (uniforms) must be handcuffed and punished. Reducing their 'food' and authority will serve the purpose very well.

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