During the Ashura ritual, men use sharp blades to self-flagellate in order to mourn the death of Husain in the war of Karbala. Shia followers see Husain as a hero to look up to when fighting against injustice.
In Pakistan, the Shia community makes up around 20 percent of the population. They engage in a variety of mourning rituals during the Ashura period, including self-flagellation. This time is observed to mourn the death of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. The 40-day period lasts until the end of the mourning period known as Chehlum or Arbayn.
Lahore, Pakistan, 2006