Karachi bus attack: Ismaili community bids final farewell to 43 loved ones
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KARACHI: With tears and overwhelming grief, friends and loved ones on Thursday performed the final rites of the 43 ill-fated men and women who were gunned down mercilessly in Karachi's Safoora Goth area a day earlier.
A large number of citizens and representatives of political parties also attended the funeral prayers.
Funeral prayers of 43 victims of the massacre were offered in Safoora Goth's Al-Azhar Garden area of the provincial capital city while their burial took at the Sakhi Hasan graveyard.
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Two more injured passengers belonging to the Ismaili community succumbed to their wounds on Thursday taking the death toll to a grisly 45.
A national day mourning is being observed to express solidarity with the targeted Ismaili community over the massacre that shocked the nation.
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National flags at all government and semi-government buildings are flying at half mast.
Mourning is also being observed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Read: 43 killed in attack on bus carrying Ismailis in Karachi
Six gunmen stopped the bus, which was carrying members of the Ismaili community, near Safoora Chowk and first fired at it from outside, according to a police official. Then the assailants entered inside the bus and open fire indiscriminately.
The bus was carrying more than 50 people at the time of the attack.
The attack was claimed by a division of the self-styled Islamic State (IS) militant organisation.
Condemnations poured in from across the country while Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif cancelled his visit to Sri Lanka and departed for Karachi after the attack. He also called Prince Karim Agha Khan and offered his condolences.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain and leaders of almost all political parties in the country strongly condemned the incident.
The attack also prompted the prime minister and army chief to cancel engagements and rush to Karachi, where an hours long meeting was held to discuss a course of action to apprehend the perpetrators.
Read: Attack on Ismaili community
The Ismailis in Pakistan are a peaceful, progressive and largely apolitical community predominantly working in the health and education sectors.
In the past there has been anti-Ismaili violence in Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, mostly in the form of communal flare-ups.
In 2013, a bomb attack at Karachi's Aisha Manzil killed four and injured 42 others. The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan had claimed responsibility for the earlier attacks.
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On DawnNews
Comments (38) Closed
May 14, 2015 11:36am
RIP.
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May 14, 2015 11:48am
Can't get over this tragedy. What senseless butchering. Once and for once, can we catch the culprits and serve justice to the family and the whole nation.
I was just recovering from loss of Sabeen, KU professor and the police DSPs. Last few weeks were heavy on Karachi and now another blow. How much does the city have to bear ?
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May 14, 2015 11:50am
Rest In Peace my brave Ismailies may u soul rest in eternal peace this is the gave tragedy that happened with our community we all stand with u don't know if culprits will ever be punish INDEED a back day in history of Ismaili community
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May 14, 2015 12:18pm
And another committee formed on this target killing and we all know this will continue and culprits will not be arrested.
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May 14, 2015 12:19pm
The whole Pakistan stand with you in this time of grief. RIP
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May 14, 2015 12:20pm
Just imagine their last moments. All of the passengers were asked to put their heads down and were shot in the head one by one. Imagine the inexplicable terror each one must have felt seeing their acquaintances sitting in front or back or near them being shot waiting for their turn and the moment when finally the pistol was placed on his/her temple. And to think that the militants did this to reserve a place for themselves in Jannat.
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May 14, 2015 12:35pm
Whole Pakistani nation looks up to Aga Khan Hospital as a center of excellence for medicine. Community's relentless work for education development via IED is a beacon of hope for the nation.
We owe to the Ismaili community for all that they have done for Pakistan to catch each and every of the six murderer who butchered innocent passengers on the bus.
Not only catch the culprits but hunt down their handlers and financiers.
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May 14, 2015 12:39pm
The nation is with you in these tough times brothers and sisters. The enemy do not want to see us prosper. We need to stay united as a nation to fight out of this mess.
May God bless us all and Pakistan
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May 14, 2015 12:45pm
May all of them Rest In Peace. Praying that their families find the strenght to cope with this senseless tragedy.
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May 14, 2015 12:50pm
My ismaili's peoples are death please this time no silence and pray for them plz, and like to say that people of pakistan with me and my family's
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May 14, 2015 12:54pm
RIP
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May 14, 2015 01:10pm
Life goes on , as if nothing happened .
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May 14, 2015 01:13pm
What a disciplined and organized community.... So sad for them
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May 14, 2015 01:21pm
Why no comments?
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May 14, 2015 01:30pm
very sad day... however, we may not forget that warnings were already there for all as operation in Karachi is in its second phase and 3rd 4th forces were expected to get in for creating havoc. India needs some punishment. Modi at work.
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May 14, 2015 01:38pm
Rest In Peace my dear fellow Pakistanis! Your Pain is the Pain of whole of Pakistan.
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May 14, 2015 01:48pm
Another tragedy after the tragedy before the previous tragedy.
Half of karachis police force is employed for the personal protection of politicians what protection do the people have
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May 14, 2015 02:09pm
Actually, we have been told the wrong stories about what, how, why like questions about human life.
We have been told to increase our numbers as human, but never told us the right path of what is being a human.
We have been told to increase our numbers as human, but never told us how to live a life being a human.
We have been told to increase our numbers as human, but never told us why do we spread hate around for others, even if we do not care about what is right and what is wrong.
Our society have been branded, polished and marketed by miscreants.
May God protect all of us from those................!
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May 14, 2015 02:13pm
Heart is bleeding today.
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May 14, 2015 02:52pm
Will miss you all. Rest in Peace.
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May 14, 2015 03:01pm
We have allowed the religious forces freedom of being in the politics look where we are now how long will that continue
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May 14, 2015 03:09pm
it doesn't matter anymore whether it was Ismailis , Christians ,Shias or Muslims. Peace loving, honest, hardworking, progressive and secular human beings are being killed . The ones most needed by this country at this juncture.
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May 14, 2015 03:17pm
Aga Khan has presented lost of gifts for people of Pakistan. Aga Khan Hospital is his gift for people of Karachi & Pakistan. So are the other institutions in health & education. This is not good reciprocation of generosity. Lets resolve to finish off the terrorist. They may not be even 1 million and we are 200 million.
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May 14, 2015 03:34pm
Rest in peace, the departed ones.
May your family and friends get the courage and strength to overcome this loss.
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May 14, 2015 04:07pm
Those people who have shocked the world due to this horrible incident. I would appeal to the Government of Pakistan to take serious action to punish them.
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May 14, 2015 04:13pm
Once again, no words of condemnation from the "brotherly" countries. And why would they condemn it when the followers of their ideology is behind this bloodbath.
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May 14, 2015 05:52pm
Unfortunately, I don't see any positive outcome from the Karachi operation. I still hear phone snatching, looting incidents, yes with little improvement. But murders, mass murders are still going on educationalist, activists, policemen, doctors. Who is safe??? No one.
God save Karachi, Ameen
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May 14, 2015 06:11pm
RIP. Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III personally collected donations for Aligarh which played pivotal role for creation of Pakistan. He was President of All Pakistan Muslim League. He would have never imagine that his followers will be killed brutally in the country he had struggled for. Aga Khan IV has provided one of the world's best nursing schools and medical universities. I hope our rulers will provide justice this time, not merely rheotoric speeches n forming committees....
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May 14, 2015 06:56pm
Wonder if there is an end to this or not. Radical action are needed. What those are is anyones imagination.
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May 14, 2015 06:59pm
Sindh Govt, Police and rangers must be impeached. We are paying our tax to run their department but they cannot save our lives. Operation is not more than political DRAMA
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May 14, 2015 07:16pm
In 1906 ,Sir Sultan Mohammad Shah Aga Khan 111.leader of Ismaili Shia threw his weight behind that would lead to the founding of home land for South Asian Muslim ....The muslim of India he said should not be regarded as a mere minority community but a separate nation by this action and help it helped in the creation of Pakistan
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May 14, 2015 07:20pm
This tragic incident would certainly be classified as ethnic cleansing.
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May 14, 2015 07:30pm
Shameful, despicable act of violence. What/who have we become?
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May 14, 2015 07:34pm
I have had the good fortune of working with many Ismailis in my life. They are the most fantastic, peace loving, selfless, humane and welfare oriented bunch of people. Never, ever I found them speaking ill of anyone. Always smiling, always extending their hands to help others regardless of religious or ethnic affiliations. Perhaps the most educated community as well and their focus is so much on spreading education. Their contribution in health and education speaks for itself.
I am so sorry about that senseless act of atrocity and my heart goes out for the victims. My thoughts and prayers are with them. And I tell you one more thing, this community will never even think of vengeance and will continue their lives the way they have always done despite of such a huge tragedy.
His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan is an exemplary leader and is instrumental in forming such a peaceful, loving and selfless character of the whole community. I just wish we can learn something from the great man.
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May 14, 2015 08:22pm
It's painful to watch this from a distance. I left Karachi 20 years ago and the horrific event hits home even after those years being apart from my home town. I belong to this community and I can't recall ever that the Ismaili community has ever been involved in any wrong doing. We are mostly educated, progressive and peace loving , cricket fanatics who just wants peace to practice our faith and live in harmony with our fellow muslims. What has transpired over the last 48 hours is an emergency call for all minorities. In this troubled times, this will get worst before it will get better, get ready for more lives being lost. I'm very sorry for your loss. Someone should loose their job on this incident. Who is running to show in Karachi,, MQM or PPP? Someone has to pay the price.
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May 14, 2015 09:15pm
I wish the politicians let the Isamili brothers and sisters mourn in peace and stop using this sorrowful event to advance their own standings. Everyday, we see hundreds of human beings getting killed in Pakistan and most of them do not even get recognized or get a half decent family funeral - lets morn for all the victims of terrorism regardless of ethnic, religious or sectarian affiliations. If the Pakistani politicians do really care about stopping this culture of killing and violence then they all should unite and hold rallies and sit ins to promote a peaceful culture instead of reacting to incidents and offering words with no substance. May the God punish the culprits here and hereafter and help the political leaders keep the politics out of these great violations of human rights in the country.
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May 14, 2015 09:31pm
Innocent human beings were killed in the bus and we should condemn the perpetrators unconditionally.
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May 14, 2015 10:46pm
worst , what kind of operation is going on against whom , if india or raw is doing show it with proof . most of your police work is only arm twisting get required statement and close the case . we have worst police in this country.
god bless these poor souls and give courage to there families.
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