ISLAMABAD, July 5 (IslamOnline.net) - While death toll rose to 47 from Friday’s suspected sectarian suicide attack on a Shiite mosque in southwestern city of Quetta, Pakistan blamed the attack on “wild and ignorant’ killers who had nothing to do with any religion.

Being a known Shiite Mosque belonging to Hazar community, the target of grenade attack spread the message that it was an attack on Shiite sect by Sunnis. But leaders not only from Sunni but Shiite sect took pains to explain that this was not the case.

Though history of sectarian violence in Pakistan dates back to early eighties, no one believes Friday’s mosque attack, one of the worse in two decade of religious violence, was related to religion.

“Islam does not allow violence” Hamid Ali Mausvi, leader of the Shiite group TNFJ said adding attack on the Shiite mosque was part a Zionist plot to divide Muslims and destabilize Pakistan.

Another Shiite leader, Allama Sajid Naqvi also expressed views that there is no place for killers of a Muslim in heavens, whatever sect he may belong to. “These are wild terrorists and not religious people from any sect” Naqvi said, rejecting impressions that the mosque attack was conducted by some fundamentalist Sunnis.

Maulana Azam Tariq is a former head of a banned Sunni group which was blamed for stock of sectarian violence in the country. Tariq too disapproved the theory that some “hardliner Sunni group” was behind Friday’s attack.

“No Muslim can kill a Muslim in the name of Islam, whatever sect he may belong to” he told IslamOnline.net. He said terrorism in the name of religion is very common and popular these days. But it can not be taken as reality.

For his part, renowned religious scholar Dr. S M Zaman said an intellectual debate is not needed to understand that no Muslim in Islam is permitted to put any harm to his fellow Muslim brother.

“Anyone with a very basic knowledge of Islam and common sense would know that killing a Muslim from any sect is not allowed” Zaman said, adding that no one who seeks Allah’s Blessing would commit such a crime.

The mosque attack was slammed by all in and outside Pakistan

Qazi Hussein Ahmed, Ameer of Jamaat e Islami Pakistan said Friday’s attack on the mosque was not a sectarian or religious terrorism. He said foreign elements wanted to weaken Muslims in Pakistan and these types of violent incidents are their way of separating Muslims from each other.

Friday’s attack was the first of its kind in the history of religious violence in Pakistan. Since 1980s over 430 incidents of religious violence have been reported in the country in which thousands of innocent people lost their lives. These attacks were blamed on Shiite and Sunni hardliner groups. Government taking cognizant of increase in this religious crimes, banned seven religious groups belonging to both sects.

“This could not be an act of religious violence as we have successfully eradicated violent groups from the country,” Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat told reporters in Islamabad Saturday, July 5. He said the government seven groups to curb this menace. Without naming any country, he said involvement of a foreign hand could not be ruled out in the Quetta killings.

But some still believe the Pakistani government would have to do more to stop this menace. “Anti terrorism courts or new laws or severe punishment is not the way to curb this type of violence,” Akram Sheikh a senior lawyer said. “We need to have an efficient and honest administration in the country to nip this evil in the bud,” he added.

Commoners on the street believe attacks on mosques and Shiite places were a result of religious hatred spread by the political elite. “Our religious leaders misguide us from real Islam,” a 23 year old shopkeeper said. He added that in the mosques, leaders give a message of hatred and not love. Saleem Akhtar a banker said it was duty of our political elite to educate general public on religious issues as well which, Saleem said they have not fulfilled.

President Pervez Musharraf also rejected the Friday’s incident was a sectarian one. He said some wild and ignorant killers were responsible for the attack. "Whether they are religious extremists or sectarian extremists...they are ignorant and wild," Musharraf said.

With the curfew still imposed, life in Quetta was still paralyzed following violent incidents which left the city shattered. Angry mob set on fire government property, a religious school and numerous vehicle to protest the killings.