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Naseer Ahmed / Reuters
A paramilitary soldier reacts as he asks civilian to leave the scene of a bomb explosion in Quetta on Thursday.
Updated 7 p.m. ET: The death toll from twin bombings on a billiards hall Thursday in southwest Pakistan rose to 81, with at least 120 more injured, according to a senior police official.
Police officer Hamid Shakeel said the bombs went off about 10 minutes apart, The Associated Press reported, with the second blast causing the building to collapse. Several nearby shops, homes and offices were also damaged.
Lashkar e Jhangvi, a Sunni Muslim militant organization aligned with al-Qaida, took responsibility for the attack.
Many of the dead and wounded were Shiite Muslims, officials said; police officers, journalists and rescue workers who responded to the initial explosion were also among the dead, the AP reported.
The Associated Press interviewed Ghulam Abbas, a Shiite who lives some 150 yards from the pool hall. He said he was at home with his family during the first blast, and was thinking about going to the scene when the second bomb went off.
"The second blast was a deafening one, and I fell down," he told the AP. "I could hear cries and minutes later I saw ambulances taking the injured to the hospital."
The pool hall assault in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, was the third terrorist attack of the day in Pakistan.
Earlier, a bomb targeting paramilitary soldiers in a commercial area in Quetta killed 12 people and wounded more than 40 others, Shakeel said, the AP reported.
Elsewhere in Pakistan, a bomb in a crowded Sunni mosque in the northwest city of Mingora killed 22 people and wounded more than 70, said senior police officer Akhtar Hayyat, the AP reported.
It was one of the country's deadliest days in recent years.
The Pakistani government's failure to crack down on the killings of the country's Shiite were criticized by Human Rights Watch, which said more than 400 Shiites were killed in targeted attacks in Pakistan in 2012.
"2012 was the bloodiest year for Pakistan's Shia community in living memory and if this latest attack is any indication, 2013 has started on an even more dismal note," Ali Dayan Hasan, Pakistan director at Human Rights Watch, told the AP.
"As Shia community members continue to be slaughtered in cold blood, the callousness and indifference of authorities offers a damning indictment of the state, its military and security agencies," Hasan said. "Pakistan's tolerance for religious extremists is not just destroying lives and alienating entire communities, it is destroying Pakistani society across the board."
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Unlike in any civilized country (as obviated by the photograph) Pakistan is totally incapable of controlling a crime scene. Note all the 'civilians' wandering around amid the carnage, probably taking notes on how to make the damage worse the next time they bomb a civilian target. The Paki cops should arrest everyone inside the crime scene and interrogate them about the bombs, except they probably don't care. At least the soldier in the foreground is actually wearing shoes.
Wow, who would have guessed they had pool halls ! Pakistanis playing billiards, thats an image I cant shake !
Salman Rushdie has said it all before, Pakistan is a failed (terrorist) state. Their politicians insisted on partition after WWII and the Pakistanis settled for a theocracy rather than a Westminster model democracy like other Commonwealth countries (Australia, New Zealand and so on) . . . now they fight over whose theocracy! They will bomb and hack each other back into the seventh century.
@mike-2598123 FWIW, Pakistan consistently dominated billiards world championships. No need to snicker at Pakistan. It's not like we have a paradise in this country. More Americans killed by guns than sectarian violence in Pakistan.
Sadly this sounds like Upstate NY where first responders were gunned down by the crazy man who set the fire as a trap.
Pakistan's government has no control over the vast wildness part of Pakistan and is now losing control over the urban centers. Al Zardari is weak. The scariest part is that Pakistan has one of the largest nuke inventories, and if that country falls apart, Sunni fundamentalist terrorists could gain control of them.
These Sunni on Shi'ite killings further demonstrate that in the Middle East, geopolitical boundaries are meaningless, tribalism trumps nationalism. Only Iraq is demonstrating some progress of taming a Sunni/Shi'ite/Kurd feud and creating a nation-state. Pakistan is far from that. And unlike Syria, where WMD's are pf concern and focus to Israel and Russia, there is no civilized nation expressing an interest in securing the WMD's. If anything, there is India who would like them to be detonated on Pakistani soil.
I have a suggestion since Congress is concerned about nation's debt, let's just cut all aid including military and let the Pakistani's kill themselves by bombings; and if by chance one of them has designs on coming to US and killing again, we can just drop a big one on those who are left in Pakistan thus obliterating the whole population. Perhaps we should offer aid to all women, and girls who would like to leave before the serious stuff starts.
All minority communities within Pakistan should fear for their lives--whether they are Shiites, Christians, or hindus.
The Pakistanis thought they could hatch, and breed these terrorist groups like Lakshar, to use in their terror upon India.(Not to mention at least a dozen others) Now, the "Dogs of War" have turned upon the hand that feeds them.
Ultimately what you sow is what you reap and "wiseone" got it right. Pakistan is a failed state, and no minorities or women are safe in that country. We should first be ensuring that atleast our supposed allies are democratic and provide the freedoms that we go around preaching to the world.
"Many of the dead and wounded were Shiite Muslims, officials said; police officers, journalists and rescue workers who responded to the initial explosion were also among the dead,"
Are not Shiites Muslims?
British invented Pakistan in 47.
In Pakistan, it was massive genocides of minorities in between 48-50 after the formation of pure Islamic nation, Pakistan.
Percentages of Hindus and Sikhs were reduced from about 24 percent less than three years by rapings, stealing, lootings, terrorizing and killing on a massive scale.
Against minorities and non-Muslims like Hindus, Sikhs, Christians these very Shiites joined hands as one Muslim block.
Now they are getting a little bit taste of what they gave to non-Muslims, infidels.
Now jihad is on Shiites Muslims!!!
Shiites should enjoy them fully with "love" and "peace" dances!
Bring all the troops home from Africa tomorrow morning...leave these people alone so that they can continue doing whatever it is they want to do...
Africa, hahahaha
We dont have any troops in Africa....... We have millitary advisors there, but no combat troops. Sounds like someone should of paied more attention in geography class..... :/
You think we don't have troops in Africa...but there are...the warmonger Obama is sending troops into Africa and we're not even out of Afghanistan...more troops sent to Turkey...pretty soon the democratic party will be renamed the Muslim Brotherhood...
President Barack Obama is sending about 100 U.S. troops to Africa to help hunt down the leaders of the notoriously violent Lord's Resistance Army in and around Uganda.
"I have authorized a small number of combat-equipped U.S. forces to deploy to central Africa to provide assistance to regional forces that are working toward the removal of Joseph Kony from the battlefield," Obama said in letter sent Friday to House Speaker John Boehner and Daniel Inouye, the president pro tempore of the Senate. Kony is the head of the Lord's Resistance Army.
You guys should try to keep up if your going to run your mouths...
Their millitary advisors you dumb @!$%#........ Not combat troops. There is a BIG difference between the two.
Read the news story I copied above sh*thead...
Take the tin foil hat off and start takeing your meds again you paranoid @!$%#....
Dee Ten; I'm calling you right away on your saying the Pres. spoke to House Speaker Boehner and Pres. Pro Temp Daniel Inouye. Senator Inouye died in Dec. and is now buried in Hawaii.
Hope you are not one of those who want the troops from Afghanistan and other places to be redeployed in Syria and Iran.
You know: for many in the US, Britain, France, Germany and other European nations, oil rich Sunni rulers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE and other Sunni Arab League nations, oil companies and their lobbyists are masters.
Earlier masters got us into Iraqi wars and now they are showing Syria and Iran!
Muslims killing Muslims, sounds like a win-win to me.
Somebody lost that game of eight ball.
Yea, they take that @!$%# sreiousley over there!
"Elsewhere in Pakistan, a bomb in a crowded Sunni mosque in the northwest city of Mingora killed 22 people and wounded more than 70"
All Pakis, who are supposed to belong to pure Islamic nation, have become sinners.
I would say Allah is great, if Allah (PBUH) wipes out all Sunni mosques in a day and all Shiites and other Muslim sect mosques on another day in Pakistan. Friday prayer time is the best time to eraze mosques to the ground.
I will certainly claim that Allah is the greatest Gods of all, if Allah wipes out all mosques within a week all over the world.
I start praying Allah.
Dee Ten
the warmonger Obama? Was it not Bush that got us into two unpaid for wars plus nation building? Was it not Obama that ended one of the wars and starting to end the second one?
brian -
The warmonger Obama could have brought all those troops home Feb. 2009...so yeah, regardless of what Bush did, Obama's a warmonger...
This is incredibly sad.
The Pakistani government has been sheltering Al Qaida leaders and the Taliban. Now they are turning on their protectors. I guess you just can't trust terrorist any more. Where is the gratitude.
It is a good question.
British invented Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
US, British, France, Germany and many brave European nations kept them on the map.
Saddam would have wiped out Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and some more oil rich Sunni nations.
US and allies saved them.
What we got in return: high oil prices and huge unemployment and debts in the US and Europe; Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques all over; and Sunni Islamic hater and killer gangs rampaging all over the world.
These Sunni Islamic hater and killer gangs are invented, funded and exported by the Sunni rulers of Saudi Arabia and other Sunni Arab League nations.
Saudis and Pakis had a hand in 9/11.
In Afghanistan, half of NATO forces deaths are due to Pakis.
Saudis and Pakis will be able to explain better what they mean by "gratitude."
Dee Ten
"I have authorized a small number of combat-equipped U.S. forces to deploy to central Africa to provide assistance to regional forces that are working toward the removal of Joseph Kony from the battlefield".
Should we send millitary advisors unarmed, so they can't protect themselves?
Doesn't matter what you call the troops...get your head out of your ass and read about how the Vietnam War started...the US just sent in some military advisers...next thing we're in a damn war...
Dee Ten
Or we should not have gone in there at all. What about all the Rupubs. that are always looking for war: McCain bomb bomb bomb Iran.
Did I say I approved of McCain...did I say I cared whether a warmonger is a democrat or a republican...hell no I didn't say that...
I wonder why they don't ban bombs, that would take care of the problem.
Didn't know bombs were legal.
Musta been a store bought pool hall bomb they used.
It's not that the Taliban objects to billiards. But you're not supposed to enjoy playing it.
"bombs don't kill people, people kill people!"
they only like pocket pool
The Sunni-Shi'ite wars continue, just like they did in Iraq. Sure, some denominations of Christianity don't quite see things the same way, but at least they're civil enough not to kill over their differences.
Except in Northern Ireland.
God, save us from your followers.
""As Shia community members continue to be slaughtered in cold blood, the callousness and indifference of authorities offers a damning indictment of the state, its military and security agencies," Hasan said."
Look at the joker, Hasan, Director of Pakistan Human Rights Watch!
Do Pakis know what "human rights" mean?
If they knew, they woud not have come to this level Islamic religious madness.
Christianity did few centuries back what these Islamic religious Nazis are doing in 21st century!
What are they accomplishing by blowing up regular people? These are just citizens, ordinary people, shopping and working, just living life. By sending in an uneducated, brainwashed "believer" with a bomb strapped to his body, they kill people who were going to the store to pick up food for their home. They kill people who were having a cup of coffee and sharing stories. Then BOOM!!! In an instant those peoples lives have been interupted or ended. What do the "master minds" of the bombing get for this terrible act? What is the end goal? I live in a neighborhood that has Catholic, Baptist, Four Square, Korean, Lutheran and many other churches within just a few miles of each other. I can't imagine the Catholic's bombing the Korean church or the Four Square church sending in a suicide bomber to the Baptist church on Sunday morning. Isn't that what they are doing to each other? Are they trying to imitate what Hitler was doing with the Jews in WWII? Someone tell me what the end goal is? ... I do agree with the person who said "bring our troops home and let them kill each other." We obviously aren't saving money on oil, so that can't be why we are there.
They do it because they can. They absolutely do not care or have feelings for others, period! You can not base what they do and feel on what you or I might do. They are totally despicable humans with out morals whatsoever. Their minds are demented beyond sane reasoning. Why we are there and remain is another story. Our Government for some reason believe they should be the policemen of the World where people there think nothing like us. They have different Gods, beliefs on how everyone else should live their lives. WE are not going to change them no matter how many billions spent. We need to remove ourselves from that area in the World and a few more. The World is not a nice place to live in where folks daily murder one another for a 100 different reasons. All you can do is live your life and NOT trod on others.
Death toll has climbed to 84 in Alamdar Rd (Quetta) blasts. The suicide bomber detonated inside the Rehmattullah Choukh filled with people- once resuce teams,police,media people arrived at Alamdar Rd- a second bomb hidden outside went off (10 minutes later) killing rescuers,police SANA TV reporter Saif ur-Rahman and cameraman Imran Sheikh. Death toll from the 2 bomb blasts now 84- 121 wounded. A 3rd bomb blast occurred ripping Bacha Khan Choukh killing 12 (incl. 2 children) and injuring 40. May the survivors and families of bomb victims find some solace for their losses .
There is a video of the horrible carnage. http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article16051245.ab
Oh, how I LOVE the religion of PEACE !
When Lashkar e T killed hundreds of Indians in Mumbai few years ago,Pakistanis and ISI rejoiced.Now God is giving them ,taste of their own medicine.
To kill so many innocent people, god will punish these Pakistanis.
Not to change the subject, but there were no guns used. You see, bad evil people will kill with what ever they can get their hands on.
That is right many people know how to build powerful bombs from chemicals they know how to process from metals and stuff.........
Shocker of the day, Muslims killing Muslims, wow how novel is that!
Why, yes, it is! Among other top shocking stories: the sun rises in the east, the oceans are very wet, and alligators are unable to fly. All of these previously unheard of facts have far more significance than anything that ever has happened or will happen in Pakistan. My morning bowel movement has more intellectual value than anything that ever came out of that benighted cesspool of Islamist goat molesters. Remember when the news actually reported something of interest?
I think the only answer is to let more people from pakistan into the U.S. and set them up with more hotels, motels, conveniance stores, dry cleaners, gas stations, kiosks in all the malls and airports, etc.etc .etc. All funded by the hard working Taxpayers of our country. What? You mean our country is already doing this? Wow. The poor sucker U.S. Taxpayer.
This is what happens when terrorists play billiards. No music, no paintings, no billiards.
Let's be thankful their killing each other, that means for now the rest of the world is safe.
Pakistanis love to kill innocent people including women and children all by themselves. But they like to criticize the drones for killing their precious and beloved terrorists.
The maddening hypocrisy of Islamists is so convoluted and cosmic that words just don't exist to describe the horror. A cartoon mocking Mohammed sends Islam into paroxysms of bloody demonstrations. But nothing from the Moslem "street" about the endless attacks of Moslems on Moslems at Mosques, at funerals, during pilgrimages, weddings, holidays, in schools, and while ministering to the injured after attacks. These are not just collateral killings and maiming after military operations. They are the intended result of direct attacks on people.
When will what is left of the sensible planet begin to understand that a major part of the Islamic community is delusional, homicidal, and apparently intent on committing as much mayhem and murder as possible? More important, when will sensible people start to declare war on these people.