LAHORE, Pakistan: The string of blasts ripped through the crowd of thousands at the moment of the breaking of fast when main procession of Imam Ali (as) martyrdom had just reached Imam Bargah Karbala Gamey Shah in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore .

The death toll from three suicide bombings rose to 40 while about 200 people are wounded.

"The mourning process had just ended when I heard three deafening explosions after brief intervals," Shahid Hussain, a mourner, said with tears rolling down his cheeks.

People cried and beat their heads and chests at the site of the attacks, chanting slogans against the provincial government over their failure to protect the mourners.

Injured people lay on the ground crying for help amid the remnants of the crowd, while ambulances drove in and out taking away the scores of wounded.

After the attacks, furious mourners also beat the bodies of two suicide bombers with sticks and shoes.

Lahore, a city of eight million near Pakistan's border with India, has been increasingly subject to terrorists attacks in a nationwide bombing campaign that has killed more than 3,300 people in three years.

"We have collected bodies of all the three bombers," a senior local administration official, Sajjad Bhutta said, adding they were still collecting evidence from the site.

He admitted there might have been a lapse in security.

Top local administration official Khusro Pervez told reporters in Lahore, "The first blast took place immediately after the mourning procession ended, followed by the other two."

Pervez said the police were trying to secure other areas, as the mourners were scattered throughout the area known as Karbala Gamey Shah, where the traditional route of the procession ends.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the attacks and described them as "cowardly acts of terrorism".

Condemning the blasts at Imambargah Karbala Gamay Shah and Bhati Chowk in Lahore, The Pakistani Shia Leader Agha Syed Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi said that terrorism and blasts could not divert us from following Ali (A.S.) and Hussain (A.S.). In a statement issued from the headquarters of the Maktab-e-Tashih he said that we can sacrifice our life but could not allow death of Azadari, terrorism could not stop us following the path of Hussainiyaat as we have been brought up under the shadow of swords and would reply oppression with Mazloomiyyat.

Agha Moosavi demanded from the government to take practical steps to provide protection to the people instead of giving mere lip-service because the rulers who could not provide peace and protection to the people have no right to rule. He said it is the need of the hour for all patriotic people to remain peaceful and keep in mind and also declared upon the enemy that even we are cut into pieces but we would not allow anyone to cut Pakistan into pieces and no power on earth could create differences amongst the recognized schools of thought.

The Quaid-i-Millat Jafariya Agha Syed Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi has said that we are following the point of view from the beginning that a terrorist keeps no Maslak, Maktab or country, he is only a terrorist and is the enemy of Islam and Pakistan. He said those who are engaged in jala-gherao in the garb of blasts have no connection with Azadars. He appealed the people not to get enraged rather keep a strict eye on miscreants. He demanded immediate arrest and strict punishment for all those involved in the blasts and firing incident in Karachi and Lahore in the mourning processions on the occasion of Shahadat of Hazrat Ali (A.S.). He expressed heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved families of those who have lost their life in the incident and prayed for the early recovery on the injured.

Meanwhile The Youm-e-Shahadat of Amirul Momineen Hazrat Ali Ibne Abi Talib (A.S.) was observed throughout the country with religious spirit, devotion and respect on Wednesday culminating the programmes of “International Ayyam-e-Aza”. Taboot Sher-e-Khuda (A.S.) was taken out from all small and big cities, towns and villages of the country while ulema, waizeen and zakireen addressing Majalis-e-Aza held at mosques and Imambargahs highlighted the seerat of Amirul Momineen Hazrat Ali (A.S.).

Rawalpnidi: The main Taboot procession in Rawalpindi was taken out from Aza Khana Mubarik Bano Mohanpura under the auspices of Nayyar Hussain Zaidi. The Quaid-i-Millat Jafariya Agha Syed Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi participated in the main procession, offered Ziarat of Tubarrukat and took part in Matamdari. A huge contingent of Mukhtar Force was along with procession to provide security to mourners. Talking to media representatives and Matmi Azadars on the occasion, Agha Moosavi said that after the Khatmi Martabat (SAAW), Hazrat Ali Ibne Abi Talib (A.S.) is the only personality on which the whole Ummah is united. Therefore, he added, Muslim Ummah can control mutual differences, anarchy and biases by making his personality as the central point of unity as by attaching with the Daman of Hiader-e-Karrar (A.S.) we can not only root out terrorism and internal evils but could also overpower the international colonial powers.

The TNFJ chief said that the whole world is grieved on Shahadat-e-Ali and not only Muslim but non-Muslims were also participating in Majalis and mourning processions and are paying homage to Ali Ibne Abi Talib (A.S.). He said the Khatimul Anbia (SAAW) by saying that Ali is the best decision maker, has made it clear that Ali Ibne Abi Talib (A.S.) is the most ideal Chief Justice of the judicial system. He said Ali’s (A.S.) hatred against oppression and support for the oppressed will be written with golden words in the history for ever. He said there is a saying of Hazrat Omer (R.A.) that goes: I would have been killed if Ali (A.S.) was not there. He is there is still need to follow the Seerat-e-Haideri to avoid killings.

Agha Moosavi said motherland Pakistan has become the target of international atheists; Drone attacks, suicide attacks, incidents of murder, arson and target killings have snatched the peaceful sleep from the countrymen while poverty, hunger, unemployment and flood ravages have made the life of people difficult. In these circumstances, he added, the philanthropists should come forward and help the flood affected, have-nots and the oppressed in the light of a saying of Hazrat Ali Ibne Abi Talib (A.S.) that goes: How can Ali fulfil his appetite when people with empty stomach are around. He announced that Tehreek Nafaz Fiqh-e-Jafariya will observe the Jumatul Widah as Youm Al-Quds Himayt-e-Mazloomin in the light of the saying of Amirul Momineen Ali Ibne Abi Talib (A.S.) that goes: become the enemy of the oppressor and be helpful to the oppressed.

Over a dozen Matmi Halqas of the Rawalpindi Region participated in the procession. Heavy Zanjeer-Zani was witnessed when the Taboot reached Novelty Chowk. The procession terminated at Imambargah Col. Maqbool Hussain at Sehr time after marching through Fawara Chowk and Trunk Bazar. Mukhtar Students Organisation Rawalpindi had set up Azadari Camp in Kashmiri Bazar where Sabeel-e-Hussaini was set up for the participants. Ibrahim Scouts had set up First Aid Medical Camp to treat the Zanjeer-Zans.

Earlier, Allama Sheikh Ijaz Hussain Madras addressed the Majlis-e-Aza at Aza Khana Mubarik Bano prior to the procession in which he said that Ali (A.S.) is the singular personality in the universe who has the honour to be Maulood-e-Ka’aba and Shaheed-e-Mehrab. He was brought up under the guidance of Hazoor-e-Akram (SAAW) that is why Maula-e-Kainaat Ali Al-Murtaza (A.S.) was laced with many qualities. He said we would have to hold the Daman-e-Karrar so as to get rid of the difficulties of the present era and root out terrorism. Allama Syed Qamar Haider Zaidi addressed the Majlis Subh-e-Shahadat organised by Khanwada Master Alamdar Hussain Kazmi at Ali Masjid.

Khateeba Aal-e-Nabi Syeda Binte Ali Moosavi and Zakirah Farhat Fatima addressed a Majlis-e-Aza organised by Ummul Baneen WF at Markazi Imambargah Jamia Al-Murtaza G-9/4 Islamabad. Taboot Hatrat Ali (A.S.) and Matamdari followed the Majlis. Allama Syed Qamar Haider Zaidi addressed 3-day Majalis organised by Asna Ashary Trust at Imambargah Greecy Line on the topic of “Ali, Maula-e-Kainaat”. The last Majlis was followed by Taboot procession in which Matmi Dasta Shah Chan Chiragh and other Matmi Halqas participated. Taboot procession was taken out from the residence of Haji Mushtaq Jafri and Mehtab Jafri in Mughalabad Rawalpindi Cantt. and was terminated at Qasr-e-Abu Talib where Allama Baqar Hussain Naqvi and others addressed the Majlis. Taboot procession was taken out from the residence of Syed Zahid Hussain Kazmi in Dhoke Syedan which was terminated at Imambargah Qasr-e-Shabbir after marching through its designated route. Earlier the Majlis-e-Shahadat was addressed by Allama Syed Qamar Haider Zaidi. Zakira Nuzhat Naqvi addressed the Majlis-e-Shahadat organised by Anjuman Faiz-e-Punjtan (Women Wing) at Imambargah Zainul Abideen Satellite Town that followed Matamdari. Allama Farman Raza Abidi at Imambargah Col. Maqbool Hussain, Allama Syed Hussain Muqaddasi at Masjid and Imambargah Ahle Bait Wah Cantt., Allama Basharat Hussain Imami at Qasr-e-Khadijatul Kubra, and Maulana Malik Ijlal Haider Al-Haideri at Imambargah Hussainia Irania addressed similar gatherings. Taboot procession was taken out from Imambargah Yadgar-e-Hussain Satellite Town that terminated back at the same Imambargah after passing through its designated route.Majalis-e-Shahdat were also organized at Darbar Shah Chan Chiragh and Imambargah Qasr-e-Sakina Shakaryal.

A resolution adopted in Ayyam-e-Aza programmes loadshedding was strongly condemned during the programmes. Another resolution demanded to include Haideri courage based on Nishan-e-Haider in the curricula books so as to give better education and training to the next generation. Another resolution paid tributes to the Pakistan’s armed forces in rooting out terrorism, helping the flood affected and above all protecting the country’s frontiers. Yes another resolution strongly condemned incidents of terrorism and target killings.

Meanwhile, according to reports reaching the TNFJ headquarters Taboot processions were taken out in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Muzaffarabad, Gujranwala, Khairpur Mirs, Multan, Sukkur, D.I. Khan, Talagang, Gujrat, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sialkot, Nowshera, Jhelum, Chakwal, Kasur, Kharian, Hafizabad, Attock, Gujjar Khan, Hyderabad, Sehwan, Larkana, Dadu, Bhan Saeedabad, Bhakkar, Mehr, Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar, Shahdadpur, Sibbi and other areas. Special protective measures were taken by the government during the processions taken out and Majalis organized in connection with the Shahadat of Hazrat Ali (A.S.).