BAHAWALPUR - Two worshippers were martyred and seven injured after gunmen stormed a mosque in Bahawalpur on Saturday morning. The terrorists attacked Masjid Al-Qamar in Block-C of Satellite Town soon after Fajr prayers at 5:40 am when the worshippers were attending a sermon delivered by a cleric. Three masked gunmen entered the premises and targeted the people who were hearing the lecture in open air, resulting in injuries to nine of them. They were rushed to Bahawal Victoria Hospital where two of them, Muhammad Jamil and Abdul Majid Quraishi, succumbed to their injuries. Other injured were identified as Abdul Jabbar, Alamgir, Allah Dad, Dr Muhammad Nazir, Javed, Abdul Majeed and Muhammad Muneer Rehmani. Meanwhile, the attackers managed to escape from the scene. Regional Police Officer Syed Abid Qadri said efforts were underway to capture the culprits but no arrest had so far been made, adding that various teams were trying their best to trace out the criminals. He termed the attack a terrorist act and said it was not a sectarianism case but the culprits might have the motive to ignite a sectarian clash. The mishap stunned the citizens as the mosque is considered as completely undisputed where the faithful from various sects offer their prayers. The traders in the city observed a strike to mark their grief and sorrow over the gruesome act while many people came out on the streets and expressed their anger by burning tyres on the roads. They chanted anti-government slogans and demanded the rulers to ensure peace in the country. The local chapter of Jamaat-i-Islami organised a protest rally where the speakers strongly criticised the PPP government and alleged that it had failed miserably to control the situation and was trying to please the United States for the vested interests. They asked the PPP to quit the government to save the nation and the country from further hard times. On the other hand, the citizens are very critical of the PPP and the PML-Ns local leadership as none of their leaders bothered to visit the area or inquire about the health of the injured, saying it is a clear proof of their carefree attitude as they have no interest in public problems.