Scores of Shia Muslims in the Kashmir Valley protested against a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Pakistan that resulted in 31 deaths and 169 injuries. The protest, marked by anti-Pakistan slogans, took place on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway. Demonstrators expressed anger over the continuous attacks on the Shia community in Pakistan.
The protest, which occurred in the Hanjiwera area of Baramulla district, highlighted the ongoing violence against Shias in Pakistan. Protesters accused Pakistani forces of targeting the Shia community, attributing the lack of protection to Pakistan’s alleged connections with terrorism. The suicide bombing in Islamabad during Friday prayers claimed the lives of dozens of worshippers and left many others wounded.
Following the bombing at the Imambargah Khadijah-tul-Kubra in Islamabad, reports confirmed 31 fatalities and 169 injuries. Pakistan’s home minister, Tallal Chaudhry, revealed that the attacker, not of Afghan origin, had traveled to Afghanistan multiple times based on forensic tests. The incident has been linked to the persecution of Shia Muslims in Pakistan, with references made to the founder of Pakistan, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who was a Shia Muslim.
Shia Muslims constitute a significant portion, about 15 to 17 percent, of the Muslim population in Kashmir, mainly concentrated in Budgam, Baramulla, and Srinagar districts. Known for promoting peace and harmony, religious leaders of the Shia community in Kashmir advocate for unity among different religions and communities in J&K and beyond.
