At least 42 people have died in a suicide attack during a Shiite Muslim
rally in Pakistan's south-western city of Quetta in the second major
strike by militants within 48 hours.

By Rob Crilly, Islamabad
Published: 2:44PM BST 03 Sep 2010

The attack has raised fears that the Pakistan Taliban is trying to
capitalise on devastating floods that have plunged the country into crisis.

Police said the bomber was among a 450-strong crowd when he detonated
the bomb in the main square of the city, triggering chaotic scenes as
members of the crowd fired rifles and set vehicles ablaze in protest at
the attack.

Shiite leader Allama Abbas Kumaili appealed to participants to remain
peaceful.

"We understand these are attempts to bring Sunni and Shiite sects
against each other," he said.

The rally was being held to mark Al-Quds day, an international event
opposing Israel's control of Jerusalem and showing solidarity with
Palestinian Muslims.

The attack in Quetta is the second this week on Pakistan's minority
Shiite population. A triple suicide attack on Wednesday night killed 35
people at a Shiite ceremony in the eastern city of Lahore.

The bombings were later claimed by the Pakistan Taliban in revenge for
the killing of a Sunni leader last year.

Militants have used sectarian strikes as part of their campaign to
destabilise the government and sow fear among minorities.

Hasan Askari Rizvi, a military and political analyst, said a lull in
attacks during the worst of the flooding crisis had given way to a new
campaign.

"They are capitalising on the fact that the government and the military
are busy dealing with the floods," he said. "They see this as an
opportunity to take the war into the cities far from their territories
in the northwest."

Earlier, at least one man was killed and four were wounded when a
suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque of the Ahmadi sect in
Mardan, in the north-west of the country.

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