Unknown gunmen kill 11 in south-west Pakistan

Jul 30, 2011, 6:11 GMT

Islamabad - At least 11 people were killed Saturday and three more injured when unknown gunmen attacked a passenger vehicle in south-western Pakistan, police and health officials said.

The attack occurred near a bus stop in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province that has witnessed sectarian and political violence due to differences between Sunni and Shiite Muslims and an insurgency by Baluch nationalists demanding more autonomy.

Police official Ismail Durrani said the gunmen opened fire on the bus carrying 14 passengers from the minority Shiite community.

Zain ullah Kakar, head of the Bolan Medical College, told German Press Agency dpa by phone that the hospital had received '11 dead including a woman and three injured.'

It was the second deadliest day of sectarian killing after seven pilgrims were killed Friday on their way to Iran to visit religious shrines. Banned anti Shiite outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for that attack.

Shiites expressed outrage at the killing and their Tahafuz Azadari Council announced 40-days of mourning over the incident.

Police said all those killed Saturday belonged to the Hazara community, a predominantly Shiite group that has been targeted several times by Sunni extremist groups.

The mainly Pashtu-speaking Hazara have also been attacked by ethnic Baluch tribesmen fighting the government for more provincial autonomy and greater share of wealth gained from natural resources.