Karachi demo calls for government's protection of Shia Muslims

Shia Muslims have held a demonstration in Pakistan’s southern city of Karachi, calling on the government to address the situation of pilgrims coming back from Iraq and protect them against attacks in border areas.

The demonstrators gathered outside Khoja mosque after Friday prayers.

Pakistani pilgrims are coming back from Iraq’s Karbala, where they had traveled to by land for ceremonies held in the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hossein, the 3rd imam of Shia Muslims.

In mid-October, millions of pilgrims from all around the world gathered in Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein is located.

The Pakistani protesters also called on the government to protect the Shia community against targeted killings carried out by militants.

The demonstration in Karachi was held a couple of days after a bomb attack at a Shia mosque in the city’s densely populated Liaquatabad district, where a child was killed and dozens of other people were injured.

SS