Violence continues to surge in Pakistan
Monday, 06 July 2009 14:13
Press TV
Pakistan, July 5 (Press TV) Bombs planted by suspected militants have gone off in a police station in northwestern Pakistan, as security remains high in the volatile region.
The two devices -- planted at the main gate of the police station in Pehlawan Qaila district in Pakistan's northwestern Shabqadar region -- went off simultaneously, completely destroying the office building and injuring a passerby.
While warplanes continue to target Taliban hideouts in the northwestern tribal belt, militants have resorted to retaliatory attacks in major cities across the conflict-riddled country.
To prevent such attacks, authorities have tightened security in all major Pakistani cities, including the capital of Islamabad, arresting dozens of alleged suicide bombers in a country-wide militant crackdown.
On Monday, at least 25 suspected militants were arrested in the restive Dera Ismail Khan, during a house-to-house search, while four suspected hideouts were also destroyed.
Despite heavy security presence, however, insurgents have managed to launch several attacks across the country, claiming the lives of scores of people. Many of the deadly attacks have targeted Shia Muslims, who make up one-third of Pakistan's 160 million-strong population.
Countless attacks have been carried out in Parachinar, Dera Ismail Khan and Kurram Agency over the past few months, killing thousands of Shia community members.
Shia clerics on Monday urged the government to do more to stop the sectarian killings, threatening to launch a mass anti-government movement if it fails in its duties.
"We strongly condemn the target killing of innocent Shia people… If the government fails to bring security for our people we will have to save our youths ourselves," Press TV reported top Shia cleric, Allama Sajid Naqvi, as saying.
Naqvi added, "We are all set to launch an anti-government campaign if the government fails to bring peace in the violent-hit region".
Moderate Sunni groups also denounced the sectarian attacks, stressing that Taliban insurgents were being funded by Western and Israeli intelligence services to secure their interests in the volatile region.
The revelation comes after a string of sectarian attacks on Shia Muslims in the last three days, in which three people lost their lives.
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