February 2010 Karachi bombings
Encyclopedia
The February 2010 Karachi bombing were a series of two bombings in Karachi
in Pakistan
on 5 February 2010. At least 25 people died and more than 50 were injured. The attacks which targeted Shia Muslims happened on Arba'een
a religious observation that occurs 40 days after Day of Ashura
.
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
on 5 February 2010. At least 25 people died and more than 50 were injured. The attacks which targeted Shia Muslims happened on Arba'een
Arba'een
Arba'een or Chelom , is one of the largest pilgrimage gatherings on Earth, in which over 10 million people go to the city of Karbala in Iraq. As it is known by Persian-speaking and Urdu-speaking Muslims in Central and South Asia, Arba'een is a Shia Muslim religious observation that occurs 40 days...
a religious observation that occurs 40 days after Day of Ashura
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...
.
Attacks
The first bombing occurred when a suicide bomber on a motorcycle laden with explosives hit a bus carrying Shia pilgrims. Twelve people died in this bombing. About an hour later another blast occurred just outside the emergency ward of Jinnah hospital where many victims from the first blast were being cared for. At least 10 were killed in this blast.See also
- List of terrorist incidents, 2010
- List of terrorist incidents in Pakistan since 2001
- Sectarian violence in PakistanSectarian violence in PakistanSectarian violence in Pakistan spark up occasionally between the predominant Sunnis and minority Shias. According to Library of Congress, Pew Research Center, Oxford University, the CIA Factbook and other experts, Shi'a Islam in Pakistan make up 5-20% of the total Muslim population, while the...