ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Two men on a motorcycle gunned down a Shiite Muslim leader Wednesday as the nation went on alert at the start of a annual Shiite Muslim mourning ritual.
Soldiers stood guard outside Shiite Muslim mosques. Policemen at roadblocks checked vehicles. Some potentially explosive areas were cordoned off. Hundreds of troublesome Islamic militants were barred from entering certain cities.
Despite the precautions, police said two men on a motorcycle killed Shiite Muslim leader Liaqat Gujar in his hometown of Bihari, about 180 miles southeast of Islamabad. Gujar's group, the Tehrik-e-Jafria (Group for Muslim Law in Pakistan) blame rival Sunni Muslim militants.
A majority Sunni Muslim nation, Pakistan has been wracked by years of bitter feuding between militants of both sects. They have attacked mosques, assassinated leaders and rampaged through graveyards killing mourners.
Heavy security was put in place throughout the country because the government feared an outbreak of religiously motivated violence Wednesday and Thursday when Shiite Muslims will march through the streets, beating themselves, usually with bare hands, but occasionally with chains and ropes embedded with shards of glass.
The annual ritual of public self-flagellation is to mourn the seventh century death of Hazrat Imam Hussain, the grandson of Islam's prophet, Mohammed. Shiite Muslims believe Hussain was the rightful heir to lead the faithful following Mohammed's death. Sunni Muslims disagree.
AP-NY-04-04-01 0052EDT
Copyright 2001 The Associated Press.