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Pakistan shrine blast in Sindh kills many | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
At least 25 people have been killed and dozens more wounded in a suicide bombing at a popular shrine in southern Pakistan, local media report. | |
The explosion targeted the shrine of Sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in the town of Sehwan, in Sindh province. | |
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack and urged Pakistan to "stand united". | |
A Sindh police spokesman said a suicide bomber had entered the shrine and blown himself up among the devotees. | |
Television station Samaa initially reported more than 50 people were injured, while Geo TV put the figure at over 100. | |
The shrine is one of the most revered in Pakistan, and was crowded as Thursday is considered a sacred day for Muslims to pray there. | |
Medical facilities near the blast site are said to be insufficient to handle large-scale casualties. | Medical facilities near the blast site are said to be insufficient to handle large-scale casualties. |
Those that can are two hours' drive away in Jamshoro and Hyderabad. | Those that can are two hours' drive away in Jamshoro and Hyderabad. |
No group has so far claimed it carried out the attack. | |
'Universal humanity' | |
In a statement, the prime minister vowed to fight Islamist militants who have carried out attacks in Pakistan. | |
"The past few days have been hard, and my heart is with the victims," Mr Sharif said. | |
"But we can't let these events divide us, or scare us. We must stand united in this struggle for the Pakistani identity, and universal humanity." | |
The blast is the latest in a string of bombings in Pakistan this week. | |
Pakistan hit by deadly suicide attacks | Pakistan hit by deadly suicide attacks |
Deadly blast at Lahore protest rally | Deadly blast at Lahore protest rally |
At least seven people were killed on Wednesday and several more injured in two separate suicide bombings in the country's north-west. | At least seven people were killed on Wednesday and several more injured in two separate suicide bombings in the country's north-west. |
In the first, six people died when two bombers targeted a government compound in the Mohmand tribal region. | In the first, six people died when two bombers targeted a government compound in the Mohmand tribal region. |
A driver died in the second attack, when a bomber on a motorbike rammed a government van carrying four judges in the city of Peshawar. | A driver died in the second attack, when a bomber on a motorbike rammed a government van carrying four judges in the city of Peshawar. |
And on Monday, a suicide bombing in the eastern city of Lahore killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 100. | |
A faction of the Pakistani Taliban, Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, said it had carried out that attack, as well as two gun assaults in Karachi on 12 February. | A faction of the Pakistani Taliban, Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, said it had carried out that attack, as well as two gun assaults in Karachi on 12 February. |