The attack, which also wounded 13 people, renewed attention on Pakistan’s apparent inability to ensure the safety of its religious minorities.
A group that calls itself the Khorasan Province and pledges loyalty to the Islamic State said it was responsible for the assault, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant Web sites and other forums. It marks the first time that an Islamic State-affiliated group has claimed direct links to bloodshed in Pakistan.
Several witnesses said the attackers left behind letters. At least one of the letters made references to the Islamic State, according to a police official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the attack. The letter also threatened more strikes against Shiites, whom Sunni extremist groups consider heretics.
Meanwhile, in a statement e-mailed to reporters, a Taliban splinter group asserted responsibly for the attack. The group, Jundullah, announced last year that it was aligning with the Islamic State.
But it remained unclear Wednesday whether the attack was carried out by sympathizers of the Islamic State acting independently or whether it was part of a broader effort by the group to extend its reach in Pakistan.
Late last year, the Islamic State named Abdul Rahim Muslim Dost the commander of its operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Dost, a writer thought to be in his 50s, had spent three years in the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on suspicion of links to al-Qaeda but was released in 2005 after he complained of health problems. In recent weeks, U.S. officials have said that Dost had traveled to Karachi but that they did not suspect him of involvement in Islamic State operations.
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