2004 Multan bombing

On October 7, 2004, a double bombing occurred in the Rashidabad neighbourhood of Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. Leaders of the banned organization Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, together with Ahl-i-Sunnat-Wal Jamaat, had organized a gathering of roughly 2,000 people to mourn the death of Amjad Hussain Farooqi. The meeting began at 10:30 pm on a Wednesday, following Isha prayers, and continued until 4:15 am the next morning.

As attendees were leaving the meeting venue at around 4:30 am, a bomb exploded. Pakistan's Interior Minister at the time, Aftab Khan Sherpao, stated that the device was remote-controlled and had been placed inside a Suzuki car. Eyewitnesses reported hearing two blasts approximately 20 seconds apart. Two minutes after the initial explosion, a second blast occurred, reportedly from a device attached to a motorcycle. The explosions killed civilians, damaged nearby buildings, and left a crater roughly one and a half feet deep at the site of the blast.

In the aftermath, police were deployed to the scene, where they faced unrest from protesters who burned tires, damaged vehicles, and attacked two ambulances. Most shops in the area closed following the attack, and crowds gathered to protest, with some throwing stones at passing vehicles and chanting slogans criticizing the government over a perceived failure to provide security. The Pakistani government subsequently imposed a temporary ban on all public gatherings except for Friday prayers. The United States issued a statement condemning the attack.

Police later arrested a suspect, Irfan Ali Shah, in connection with the bombing. He was tried and found guilty on 40 counts of terrorism for masterminding the double bombing, and in 2006 he was sentenced to death.