Four persons were killed and 11 injured when unidentified gunmen today
attacked a bus carrying Shia pilgrims in Quetta city of southwest
Pakistan, police said.
The pilgrims were heading to the border city of Taftan to travel to Iran for religious rituals, police said.
The gunmen opened fire at the bus in Akhtarabad area of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province. Around 28 people were on the vehicle when it was attacked.
The attackers fled after the shooting.
Scores of Shias rushed to the hospital where the injured were taken and shouted slogans against sectarian groups and the police for failing to curb sectarian attacks.
No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting, but Shias blame rival banned extremist groups for the attack.
There have been several attacks targeting Shias in Balochistan in recent months.
Last week, gunmen shot dead former Olympian Abrar Hussain Shah in Quetta. Banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi had claimed responsibility for that attack.
Shia leaders condemned today''s attack and said sectarian elements were trying to destabilise Pakistan and create rifts in the ranks of Muslims.
They called on the people to remain calm and to help thwart plots hatched by sectarian elements. PTI