By Asif Farooqi, IOL Pakistan Correspondent

ISLAMABAD, February 22 (IslamOnline.net) – At least nine intending worshippers from Shiite Muslim sect Saturday, February 22, were killed and nine injured when unknown assailants opened fire on a group of worshippers as they were entering the mosque to perform (Maghreb) dusk prayers in the Pakistani city of Karachi.

Leaders of the majority Sunni sect have condemned this “terrorist attack” which the government believed was aimed at creating sectarian disharmony in the country before the advent of holy month of Muharram.

Pakistan has a history of bloody religious violence where minority Shiite and majority Sunni “militants” have often been blamed for the tit-for-tat killings.

However, the two communities normally live in peace. Hundreds of people have been killed in the Shiite-Sunni conflict over the past few years.

According to the police account, unknown gunmen opened fire as worshippers entered a mosque for prayers in Malir, a low-income area on the eastern outskirts of the restive southern port city. The assailants fled after the shooting.

"Three gunmen riding a motorcycle opened fire at worshippers with automatic weapons," Karachi police chief Tariq Jameel said. "It is a gruesome act of terrorism. Our investigations are in full swing, but no arrests have been made so far."

Doctors said two of the wounded were in serious condition. No group has claimed responsibility of the attack.

Leaders representing Sunni sect, while condemning the attack on a Shiite mosque, appealed to the followers of both sects to show restraints during the holy months.

Mufit Nakeeb Ur Rehman, a well know Sunni scholar, said Saturday’s attack was part of a terror campaign aiming to divide Muslims.

Government also shared this view. Ishrat Ul Ebad, Governor of Sindh province of which Karachi is the capital, said the mosque killings were designed by “enemies of Pakistan” who wanted to destabilize the country by fuelling religious disharmony.

Witness Anwar Hussain told reporters a group of mostly young Shiite Muslims was watching Saturday's World Cup cricket match between Pakistan and England at a roadside tea shop.

"At the call to prayer, we stood up and started walking toward the mosque," a visibly shaken Hussain said.