Bombing in Lahore: Three Bombs Kill 8, 100 People Hurt

by Amy Judd | September 1, 2010 at 08:11 am

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About Eight People Have Been Reported Dead and About 100 Hurt After Three Bombs Exploded During a Shia Procession in Lahore Pakistan

According to the BBC, at least one of the bombs was the work of a suicide bomber, which took place during a procession to mark the death of the first Shia imam Ali bin Abi Talib.

After the bombs exploded, Reuters reports that an angry mob set fire to the police station and some vehicles on the street. There were also reports of people beating policemen.

In recent months there has been a lull in violence between Sunni and Shia Muslims after severe floods have devastated Pakistan. Millions of people are affected by the floods and hundreds are dying due to lack of access to clean water and proper medical care and food.

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani spoke to the media about the devastation:

"The floods have inflicted damage to the economy which may, by some estimates, reach $43 billion, while affecting 30 percent of all agricultural land," Gilani said briefing the cabinet.

Pakistan is hoping that the International Monetary Fund will help them deal with their $11 billion loan, while many Pakistanis feel that the government is not doing enough to help them.

British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said it could take Pakistan years to recover, with threats from water-borne disease and opportunistic militants. "The danger always is that you get groups who have an ulterior motive who provide aid to try to curry favor," he said after visiting an aid camp.