Heavily armed terrorists on Friday stormed two packed mosques of the minority Ahmadi sect in Lahore on Friday, firing indiscriminately with automatic weapons and lobbing grenades.
At least 30 people are feared killed in the apparently coordinated attacks by two groups of terrorists, who stormed into the mosques at around 1.45 pm local time. The terrorists targeted the mosques in Garhi Shahu and Model Town areas of Lahore.
Witnesses said two groups of attackers lobbed grenades and fired as they entered the mosques. Police and paramilitary forces surrounded the two mosques and took up positions on roads and roof tops around the mosques.
Geo News channel reported that a Punjabi wing of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The channel also reported that there were over 1,500 worshippers in the sprawling mosque complex at Model Town but this could not be officially confirmed. Reports said the firing was still continuing at both the sites.
IANS reports a Taliban group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Suicide bombers struck at a market in Lahore city March 12, killing 45 and injuring over 100.
Pakistan has seen scores of attacks by groups of Islamist militants against government, Western and security force targets over the past three years. Lahore, the second largest city in the country and a vital a military and political centre, has been the scene of several.
Many Islamist militants believe it is permissible or honourable to kill non-Muslims, or even those Muslims who do not share their extreme views.
The Ahmadis call themselves Muslims but believe their founder declared himself a prophet centuries after Muhammad, who other Muslims believe was the final prophet. They have long been subject to informal and state-sanctioned discrimination in Pakistan.
The government has declared them a non-Muslim minority and they are prohibited from calling themselves Muslims or engaging in Muslim practices such as reciting Islamic prayers..
