Islamabad, May 29: Gunmen opened fire on a convoy of Indian and Pakistani pilgrims in Sindh province, killing at least two persons.

The dead were Pakistani citizens. Seven, including an Indian, have been injured in the attack that came just when the peace process had given a fillip to pilgrims’ passage from India to Pakistan.

The convoy, with around 40 pilgrims on their way back from a temple, were attacked by three unidentified gunmen late on Sunday. The assault happened some 50 km north of Ghotki district. (See map)

“The convoy of pilgrims, mostly from India, was returning from a Hindu holy shrine, Shadani darbar, when it was ambushed,” Shams Bhutto, a resident, told The Telegraph over phone from Ghotki.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident but said it would be premature to say anything about the motive of the attackers. An interior ministry spokesperson said in Islamabad that initial reports suggested robbery appeared to be the motive.

However, Ramesh Lal, a National Assembly member representing around 100,000 Hindus in and around Ghotki district, said in a statement that it was “an open act of terrorism” aimed at derailing the ongoing peace process.

He said the elements involved in the ambush wanted to discourage Hindu pilgrims from visiting their holy sites in Sindh, which has several temples.

Pakistan has recently relaxed entry restrictions for Hindus and Sikhs from India wishing to visit holy sites.

People in Ghotki and surrounding areas observed a shutdown today.

“Most of the shops in Ghotki and the Hayat Pipafi area, the site of the attack, remained closed on Monday with people protesting against the attack and demanding that the local authorities arrest those involved in the crime,” Bhutto said.

The Hindu population of Pakistan is concentrated in Sindh. Before Partition, most Hindus who used to live in present-day Pakistan were urban, highly educated and economically advantaged. However, the majority of them went to India after Partition.

Despite lack of political clout, Hindus were never victims of organised violence in Pakistan. They became increasingly vocal in the late nineties by forming alliances with other minorities, especially Christians.