Bombing kills 18 during Pakistan religious procession

15 Jan 2012 11:59 Source: Reuters // Reuters (Adds police official, eyewitness, background) By Asim Tanveer MULTAN, Pakistan, Jan 15 (Reuters) - A homemade bomb exploded on Sunday near a Shi'ite Muslim procession in the central Pakistani town of Khanpur, killing 18 people and wounding 30, police officials said. The remote-controlled bomb was planted near an electric pole, said Sohail Chattha, the area's police chief. He said it was set off as the procession approached. "There was a loud explosion a few yards from the procession and we all scrambled to get away," said Imran Iqbal, one of the members of the procession. "Debris was everywhere, and a cloud of dust engulfed us. Many people died on the spot." The processions of Shi'ite Muslims, who make up about 20 percent of Pakistan's population, are often attacked by militant Sunni Muslim groups who consider them apostates of Islam. Sunday's procession was in observance of Arbain, or Chehlum, one of the main religious observances in the Shi'ite calendar. Blood has spilled between Pakistan's majority Sunni and minority Shi'ite militants for decades. Sectarian strife has intensified since Sunni militants deepened ties with al Qaeda and Pakistani Taliban insurgents after Pakistan joined the U.S.-led campaign against militancy after the Sept. 11 attacks. (Writing by Qasim Nauman; Editing by Chris Allbritton and Sanjeev Miglani) Blast during Chehlum procession in Khanpur; 18 killed By Farheen Raza - Jan 15th, 2012 (No Comment) 3 Khanpur: At least 18 people were killed and over two dozens were injured when a blast rocked Khanpur Tehsil of the Rahim Yar Khan district of Bahawalpur division on Sunday, police said. DPO Sohail Chatta said, the explosion went off as mourners were marking the 40th day. He added that it appeared the bomb was planted in electric pole. “The investigator have also found ball-bearings from the place,” sources said. Earlier, RPO Bahawalpur Abid Qadri claimed that it was an explosion in electrical transformer. He said that the blast occurred when the ‘Alm’ of the Chehlum procession struck high tension wires.