2015 Karachi bus shooting
On 13 May 2015, eight gunmen attacked a bus travelling in Safoora Goth, Karachi, Sindh in Pakistan. The shooting left at least 46 people dead. All of the victims were of the Ismaili Shia Muslim minority, suggesting the attack was a targeted killing of sectarian nature.
| 2015 Karachi bus shooting | |
|---|---|
| Location | Safoora Goth, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 24.8554°N 67.1719°E |
| Date | 13 May 2015 |
| Target | Ismaili community |
Attack type | Shooting |
| Deaths | 45 |
| Injured | Dozens |
| Perpetrators | Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan(claimed) Jundallah(claimed) ISIL(claimed) |
The banned militant group Jundallah claimed responsibility for the shooting. The gunmen hailed from Afghanistan. Pamphlets supporting ISIL, with whom Jundallah claims allegiance, were also found at the crime scene. However, the Pakistani government ruled out the connection of ISIL in the attack, stating that the group does not have a physical presence in the country. Numerous Pakistani government and media reports have also claimed the backing of a foreign hand, mainly India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), behind the attack. India has denied the allegations.
Five perpetrators behind the attack were later arrested by Pakistani security forces and were awarded death penalty by a Pakistani court on 12 May 2016. One of the mastermind behind the attack, Qari Saifullah Mehsud was later killed by two unknown gunmen in Khost province of Afghanistan. Locals in Afghanistan suspect that the 'two unknown gunmen' were associated with Pakistan as there has been attacks on anti-Pakistan terrorists groups residing in Afghanistan in the past.