40 people were killed and 175 people were injured in the city of Lahore in eastern Pakistan by Taliban extremists. Three suicide bombers committed this crime to attack followers of a moderate version of Islam. The attack happened at a Sufi shrine, where a crowd of people praying had gathered. Most Pakistanis belong to the Sufi sect. Its followers practice dervish dancing and are considered heretics by the Taliban, although no group has claimed responsibility for this attack. Al Qaeda extremists do not tolerate versions of Islam different from theirs and have attacked other groups in recent months. In May, 95 members of the Ahmadi sect were killed; the Shia community has been under attack for years and in February, 20 were killed during a religious festival. The Sufis, which can be either Sunni or Shia, practice their faith focusing more on its mystical natures. The Taliban has increased the number of suicide bombings in public places and government buildings. Officials think that the Pakistani people may begin to fight back as the violence grows.
Violence in this portion of the world continues to escalate as religious extremism grows. Change will have to come from within the governments by separating their religious views. In this particular instance, it is members of Islam fighting different sects of their own religion. This highlights the intolerance of the Taliban and the Al Qaeda militants against others of any belief system that does not agree with theirs. Maybe we should take their intolerance into consideration when addressing the issue of their attacks on the West, and realize that may be a contributing cause.
Wright, Tom and Zahid Hussain. "Triple Suicide Bombing in Pakistan Kills 40." The Wall Street Journal. 2 July 2010.
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