2nd LD Writethru: UN chief slams deadly terrorist attacks in Pakistan
Xinhua, October 24, 2015 Adjust font size:
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday condemned recent deadly terrorist attacks in the Pakistani provinces of Balochistan and Sindh, which took place during the ongoing holy month of Muharram, saying that "nothing justifies terrorism."
The condemned terrorist attacks included the Friday bombing of a procession of worshippers marking the Shia religious holiday of Ashura in the city of Jacobabad, noted a statement issued here by Ban's spokesman.
"The attacks during the ongoing holy month of Muharram have reportedly left over 40 dead, including many children," the statement said.
"The secretary-general reiterates that nothing justifies terrorism," the statement said.
A bomb targeted a Muharram procession near Shershah Haveli in Jacobabad's Lashari Mohalla Friday evening, killing at least 20 people and injuring many others, reports said.
Muharram is the month with which the Muslims begin their lunar (Hegira) Calendar.
Security and rescue teams rushed to the site following the explosion. The dead and the injured were shifted to Civil Hospital Jacobabad, where an emergency has been declared, the reports said.
Ban "urges the government of Pakistan to take all necessary measures to bring to justice the perpetrators of these despicable acts and to do its utmost to protect its citizens, including all minorities," the statement said.
"The secretary-general extends his condolences to the families of the victims and wishes the injured a swift recovery," said the statement.
Sectarian violence has reportedly claimed thousands of lives in Pakistan over the past decade.
On Thursday, a suicide attacker blew himself outside an imambargah in Bolan's Goth Chalghari area, killing at least 10 people and injuring many others.
The Friday attack is the second deadliest bombing on a Shia congregation after 61 people were killed and at least another 60 were injured in a bomb explosion in an imambargah in upper Sindh district of Shikarpur on Jan 30, 2015, the reports said. Endi