Quetta:
At least 50 people were killed and over 100 others, including media persons, were injured on Friday when a suicide bomber struck a Shia procession at Quetta in southwest Pakistan, the latest in a slew of strikes targeting religious minorities in the country.
The attack, which took place around 3 pm local time at Meezan Chowk - a busy square in Balochistan's capital Quetta - came hours after two terror strikes in Pakistan's restive northwest, including one on an Ahmedi mosque, left three people dead.
The suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest when the rally organised by Shia students reached Meezan Chowk. Dramatic footage aired on Geo News captured the blast, which occurred as the marchers were shouting slogans.
Dunya News reported that 35 people were killed and more than 100 others, including media persons, injured in the attack. Officials at hospitals also said that they had received about 100 injured people.
The driver of a TV channel was killed while several reporters and cameramen of Geo News, ARY News and Dawn News channels were among the injured.
People screamed in panic and ran helter-skelter after the blast. Several men cowered in fear and tried to hide behind cars and motorcycles.
Armed youths who were part of the procession started firing after the blast. Many persons sustained bullet injuries, officials said.
The procession was organised by the Imamia Students' Organisation to mark al-Quds Day and express solidarity with the people of Palestine.
No group claimed responsibility for the suicide attack.
Balochistan police chief Malik Iqbal confirmed the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber. He said police had asked the organisers of the rally to change the route due to fears of a terrorist attack.
Witnesses said the powerful blast was heard from several kilometres away. They said they had seen blood and body parts at the site of the explosion.
A mob set on fire several shops, buildings and cars near the site of the blast.
Thick black smoke rose over the area as people rushed the injured to hospitals in private vehicles.
The explosion caused widespread tension across Quetta, which has been affected by ethnic and sectarian tensions over the past few months.
People rushed home as markets across the city closed down.
Shia Muslims organise rallies across Pakistan on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramazan to show solidarity with the people of Palestine.
Earlier in the day, militants targeted a police van with a roadside bomb on the outskirts of Peshawar in northwest Pakistan, killing a constable and injuring three others.
Separately, two persons were killed and two more injured when a suicide bomber targeted an Ahmedi mosque at Mardan, also in northwest Pakistan.
No group claimed responsibility for both attacks.
Today's attacks were the latest in a wave of assaults targeting religious minorities.
Nearly 40 people were killed when two suicide bombers targeted a Shia procession in Lahore on Wednesday. Taliban commander Qari Hussain, considered the trainer of suicide bombers, claimed responsibility for that attack.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik had yesterday asked the Shia community not to organise processions in open places to avoid suicide attacks.
"How can police provide security to a gathering of 15,000 people?" he told reporters.
He said Shia leaders had been asked to organise processions at selected places and not to come out in markets and streets.
Jaffaria Alliance President Allama Abbas Kumaili, a leading Shia cleric, said it would not be possible for the community to abide by such restrictions.
He said the community had been "expecting" an attack like the one in Quetta.
"They are trying to stop our rallies and gatherings, but we are not afraid of dying. We will fulfil our religious obligations. We can take care of security for our processions if the government cannot do so," Kumaili said.