Karachi, Pakistans largest city and financial hub,
was the worst hit by sectarian violence in 2011,
with 36 attacks roughly 32% of all sectarian
incidents recorded in Pakistan claiming 58
lives.
6
According to a report by the Criminal
Investigation Department, an anti-terrorist police
unit, more than half of the 246 terrorists arrested
in Karachi between 2001 and 2010 were affiliated
with sectarian groups.
7
The growing presence
of sectarian militants in the city led to attacks
against Shia religious processions on December
28th 2009 and February 5th 2010 that killed 40
and 25 people, respectively. Tit-for-tat sectarian
killings continue on an ongoing basis between
extremist Sunni organisations, including the
ASWJ, LeJ and Jundullah, and Shia groups such
as the SMP. In 2012 militant groups targeted
lawyers representing activists of rival sectarian
groups in January alone three Shia lawyers and
four lawyers representing members of the ASWJ
were assassinated in different shooting incidents.