On Friday, March 31st, the Pakistani Taliban planted a bomb near a mosque in a northwestern city in Pakistan, Parachinar. The city is located in an area with a large Shia population. Twenty two people were killed and seventy people were wounded and needed to be hospitalized. The bomb was in a remote area, near the women’s entrance of a Shia mosque in the central bazaar. Before the bomb went off, gunfire was heard, so it is assumed that it was a suicide attempt. Now after this stunt, people in Afghanistan or anywhere in the surrounding area are afraid of terrorism targeting sectarian religion. Many people have been killed this past year due to hate for certain religions or ethnic groups in their country.

As we learn more about religion and what is composed of them, I’ beginning to realize how intense religion is for people. It’s a belief system, but it’s also something that can cause havoc and horror in some people’s lives. Because sectarian views are so specific and demanding, people are definitely not going to agree with them. It’s unfortunate though that these people who share these beliefs get punished for what they believe is correct.