Husks of vehicles littered the pavement near the shrine as first responders rushed to the scene, while armed security forces fanned out in the area. Among them was Azra Bibi, whose son Mohammed Shahid cares for visitors’ shoes, which must be removed before entering. It was targeted in a 2010 suicide attack that killed more than 40 people. Senior police official Mohammed Ashfaq told a news conference that security personnel at the shrine were targeted. Critics have long said that the military and government crackdown has not addressed the root causes of extremism in Pakistan, where hardline Muslim groups often target religious minorities.

Source: Taipei Times May 08, 2019 15:56 UTC