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Last Updated, 3:17 p.m. Bombs in two Pakistani cities killed at least 115 people on Thursday, with the worst carnage inflicted by two explosions a few minutes apart in the southwestern city of Quetta, taking the lives of at least 81 people. As my colleague Declan Walsh reports from Islamabad, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a Sunni militant group with strong ties to the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack in a Quetta neighborhood dominated by ethnic Hazara Shiites.

The group maximized the deadliness of the bloody attack by sending a suicide bomber to detonate explosives inside a snooker hall, and then a second attacker blew up a vehicle outside the club a short time later, killing rescue workers and journalists.

Among those killed by the second blast was a rights activist, Irfan Ali, 33, who was helping the injured. Just before his death, Mr. Ali noted on his @khudiali Twitter feed that he had narrowly escaped the first blast. Then he posted another message, registering his dismay that the group behind the attack had also succeeded in driving some Hazara families out of their homes. The families who moved out, he wrote in his final words on Twitter, had “finally succumbed to the genocidal pressure” from the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. It was, he noted, a “sad day for diversity in Baluchistan,” the northwestern province that has Quetta as its capital.

#Hazara families of #Machh,Khuzdir finally succumbed to the genocidal pressure&moving out. Sad day for diversity in #Balochistan. — irfan (@khudiali) 10 Jan 13

As my colleague in Islamabad explained in a telephone interview with the PBS Newshour, the Persian-speaking, Shiite Muslim Hazara community “immigrated from Afghanistan about a century ago” and “has suffered a series of attacks at the hands of Sunni death squads over the last couple of years.” More than 100 Hazaras were killed last year, and some of the killers are from militant groups believed to have links to the country’s security services.

As news of Mr. Ali’s death spread, he was mourned by fellow activists, bloggers and journalists online. Dozens of tributes to him were posted on Twitter; his Facebook page filled with words of sympathy and respect for his battles for peace and against sectarianism.

just talked to mother of @khudiali – dear friend, peace activist and a smiling face. He is no more. Martyred in today’s blast in Quetta — Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) 10 Jan 13

The journalist and blogger Shiraz Hassan uploaded an image of Mr. Ali wearing a T-shirt that spelled out the word “Coexist” in symbols from different religions, and quoted the dead man’s Twitter biography: “I am born to fight for human rights and peace. My religion is respect and love all the religions.”

“I am born to fight for human rights & peace. My religion is respect and love all the religions.” – @khudiali, RIP //t.co/hCiHKcCC — Shiraz Hassan (@ShirazHassan) 10 Jan 13

His colleagues at the Youth Peer Education Network, a United Nations affiliate, wrote on Facebook:

Today, is a day of great loss for all of us, the entire Y-Peer family, and the whole Pakistani nation. 103 people lost their lives today in different attacks in Quetta and Swat, but out of 69 who died in a sectarian attack on a bustling billiard hall in the southwest city of Quetta, one is Irfan Ali — a great human right activist, peace lover and a district focal point of Y-Peer Pakistan — who lost his life while taking the victims of the first blast to the hospital. And in the second blast, he become prey of those who want to divide the humanity on the basis of sects, religions, and who kill people for the sake of their own interest. But this shameful act will not let them achieve their objectives, as there are hundreds and thousands of young people like Irfan Ali, who are brave enough to take the lead, and work for peace and harmony in their communities. Let us pray for Irfan Ali and his brother-in-law who lost their lives. May their souls rest in peace. Ameen.

Another activist, Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi, the founder of the Pakistan Youth Alliance, pointed to photographs of Mr. Ali at a demonstration against sectarian attacks on Shiites outside the presidential palace in Islamabad in September. In one image, the activist addressed the crowd through a megaphone; in another he took part in a symbolic protest, lying on the road with fake blood splattered on his chest, as others displayed signs with anti-sectarian messages, including: “Let’s get butchered together!”

@khudiali martyred in todays blast. SEE how he joined us infront of parliament to protest #Shiagenocide few mons ago > //t.co/szsc5szA — Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) 10 Jan 13

@khudiali laying on the road, TELLING YOU how the end would be if you dont voice against religious intolerance > //t.co/ewi2WnUY — Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) 10 Jan 13

Video of Mr. Ali at that protest is posted on his YouTube channel with a note explaining that the protesters demanded “sectarian harmony and peace in the country,” and “also condemned ‘Talibanization.'” The only options, Mr. Ali wrote, are to “save Pakistan from the Taliban, or leave Pakistan to the Taliban.”

An 18-year-old activist, Ghalib Khalil, posted a photograph on Tumblr of Mr. Ali speaking to the rally that day with the caption: “I share this picture proudly today in remembrance of a soldier for peace, who had a microphone not a gun in his hand.”

In a tribute to Mr. Ali on her blog, Beena Sarwar, an activist filmmaker, wrote: “I met Irfan in July in Karachi for the first time at the Social Media Mela, but we had been in touch for some time via email. Such a bright, smiling, courageous, committed young man.” She added: “Irfan was vocal and outspoken on many platforms. His presence will be sorely missed but his legacy of fearless activism remains. The best tribute we can pay him is to continue fighting those very forces who killed him.”

She also uploaded an image of the activist flashing a peace sign at a rally.

MT @beenasarwar: Remember him like this. Pic of Irfan flashing V-sign, holding peace placard. #RIPKhudiAli //t.co/VpFltNnj — Robert Mackey (@RobertMackey) 11 Jan 13

The Washington-based Afghan analyst Ahmad Shujaa, recalled a recent conversation with Mr. Ali over dinner “when he was part of a Pakistani contingent of civil society and human rights activists touring the United States under a State Department program.”

It took me a while to notice, but somewhere during that conversation Khudi had broken down, silently crying. I had imagined him as a hardened activist who had grown used to conversations about loss because he dealt with it so often. But that night he seemed just as hurt and vulnerble as the rest of us, pained by the memories of the friends he’d lost, the distances the attacks had created between the Shia-Hazaras and the non-Shia, non-Hazara residents of Quetta. In some ways, he was more hurt than me because, while I reacted to the bloodbath from the safety of Washington, he was in the middle of it, occasionally picking up the dead bodies and, as every so often happened, pieces of bodies…. Activism in Pakistan, as in many developing countries, tends to be an elite preoccupation. People who worry about their next meal rarely lead campaigns, rarely go on hunger strike and almost never coin revolutionary Twitter hashtags. People who have a family to feed and clothe are usually too busy to go to attack sites and rescue victims, to hospitals and give blood, to protest rallies and chant slogans. So, in a way, Khudi was an elite. But he was in the thick of it everyday. He wasn’t a dual citizen, didn’t have a safe perch, didn’t content himself with online petitions or after-work sit-ins.

Here, in chronological order, are just some of the many messages of mourning and condolence posted on Twitter on Thursday night.

Lost my best friend, Irfan Ali Khudi (@khudiali), in today’s #Quetta blast. I swear I’ll take revenge for you, dear bro. #RIPKhudiAli — Saleem Javed (@mSaleemJaved) 10 Jan 13

A friend just confirmed that Irfan Khudi Ali @khudiali a young activist against shia genocide lost his life in twin Quetta blasts :( — Nighat Dad (@nighatdad) 10 Jan 13

RIP @khudiali, You will be missed. A young activist lost his life today in bomb blast :-( #Quetta #ShiaGenocide — Shiraz Hassan (@ShirazHassan) 10 Jan 13

Oh my God. You, Irfan @khudiali had to leave? RIP @khudiali … You have left us eternally sad. — Darvesh (@Darveshh) 10 Jan 13

We lost a gem of a person :( “@nighatdad: Irfan Khudi Ali @khudiali who was born to fight for human rights and peace. You will be missed :(“ — Naseem Khan Achakzai (@nkachakzai) 10 Jan 13

Many on Twitter are saying that @khudiali was killed in today’s Quetta blasts. Rest in peace. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajaoon. — Arif Rafiq (@ArifCRafiq) 10 Jan 13

My God!! “@Faiz_Baluch: Sad News :( RT @qambarbugti our dear brother @khudiali (Irfan) left us today forever in #Quetta Blast.” — BalochFaryad (@BalochFaryad) 10 Jan 13

Rest in peace my friend @khudiali -> Sorry that we could not save a bright mind, a brave soul like you. We are killing ourselves. #Pakistan — Raza Rumi (@Razarumi) 10 Jan 13

I used to tell @khudiali about the security threats and always cautioned him.But he was brave and often told me that struggle was important. — Raza Rumi (@Razarumi) 10 Jan 13

I lost a respected acquaintance in Lahore Moon Market blast a couple of yrs ago. Today,I am mourning a young friend @khudiali. Prayers.Tears — Raza Rumi (@Razarumi) 10 Jan 13

We are shocked that @khudiali our Advisor on #TakeBackTheTech Project & #Balochistan lost his life today in a terrorist attack in #Quetta — Bytes for All, PK (@bytesforall) 10 Jan 13

We were together in this Protest against #Shiagenocide in #Islamabad .u will be missed @khudiali //t.co/dhCHDVnC — Naseem Khan Achakzai (@nkachakzai) 10 Jan 13

A humble request #Pakistan: Please RT @khudiali’s tweets to make sure his voice is not silenced by those who killed him today. Let it echo! — Fifi Haroon (@fifiharoon) 10 Jan 13

Like @khudiali – wont pick up guns. Our microphones, banners and voice is all we have against these terrorists. Not your war? It is ours. — Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) 10 Jan 13

@beenasarwar @aliarqam The panel he spoke on was the most powerful session. It’s just too horrid. What an amazing young man we’ve lost. — Sabeen Mahmud (@sabeen) 10 Jan 13

I am gutted to learn abt @khudiali’s killing; sending condolences to @beenasarwar @Razarumi & everyone else who knew him/was touched by him. — Zahir Janmohamed (@ZahirJ) 10 Jan 13

Irfan (@Khudiali) was in Quetta to deliver a peace training to young activists. #RIPKhudiAli — Marvi Sirmed (@marvisirmed) 10 Jan 13

@khudiali Speaking in a workshop in #Quetta.Theme of the workshop was Giving voice to voiceless. Will som1 speak 4 him //t.co/g6V8QFbi — Roohullah Gulzari (@roohgulzari) 10 Jan 13

While we were Tweeting ranting about politics, he was on ground helping the injured in Quetta and paid for it by his own life #RIPKhudiAli — Wahaz (@wahaz) 10 Jan 13

This girl Zamarrud is fine health-wise today because of @khudiali ‘s work. She was injured on EidGah blast //t.co/KnuwVaQh — Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) 10 Jan 13

After the first blast in the afternoon @khudiali tweeted that he escaped it, but he didn’t knew he would not be alive after the second one. — Tahir Imran Mian (@TahirImran) 10 Jan 13