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Pakistan province mourns attack Hundreds attend Pakistan funerals
(about 10 hours later)
The government in the Pakistani province of Sindh has declared a day of mourning after a suicide attack in its capital, Karachi, killed 33 people. Thousands of people in Pakistan have attended funerals in the city of Karachi, a day after a suicide bomb that claimed the lives of 43 people.
Government offices are closed and security is tight ahead of the funerals of the victims. Firefighters are still extinguishing flames following rioting after the attack on a Shia Muslim march.
Dozens of people were also injured in the suicide bombing on a Shia Muslim march on Monday. Government offices remained closed and security was tight before and after the funerals.
Pakistan's security forces have been on high alert as Shia Muslims marked the holy month of Muharram. Dozens of people were injured in the bomb, which struck as Shias marked the climax of the holy month of Muharram.
Ashura on Monday was the climax of the holy period, commemorating the death of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson. After the explosion, marchers turned their anger on ambulance workers, security forces and journalists.
The main political parties in Sindh have called for a business and transport strike in protest against the violence. 'Miscreants'
Most petrol stations are closed in Karachi, and there is no traffic on the roads. No-one has claimed responsibility for Monday's bomb.
Pandemonium But Sunni extremist groups linked to the Taliban and al-Qaeda are the obvious suspects, says the BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad.
Firemen are still dousing fires that erupted after the attack and gutted a number of shops in the main commercial district in downtown Karachi where the attack took place.
Pakistan's sectarian schismPakistan's sectarian schism
"Our office and the whole building is completely burnt. Everything has been destroyed," Saleem Khan, owner of a car rental business, told Reuters news agency. Minority Shias in Pakistan have often been targeted by Sunni extremist groups who regard them as heretical.
The attacker had been walking amidst a procession with tens of thousands of people, said the interior minister. The main political parties in Sindh called for a business and transport strike in protest against the violence.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which comes amid an upsurge of violence by Taliban militants in Pakistan. On Tuesday morning, most petrol stations were closed in Karachi and there was little traffic on the roads.
Karachi has a long history of sectarian violence between Shias and Sunnis. Karachi fire chief Ehteshamul Haq told the AP news agency that two buildings with dozens of shops and offices have already collapsed and two more were in danger of falling.
Sunni extremist groups affiliated with Taliban and al-Qaeda are the obvious suspects behind Monday's attack, the BBC correspondent M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says. Saleem Khan, owner of a car rental business, told Reuters news agency: "Our office and the whole building is completely burnt. Everything has been destroyed."
Officials said the violence was possibly triggered in an attempt to heighten sectarian tensions.
"We believe that it was a planned conspiracy," said Interior Minister Rehman Malik. "Those who went violent were miscreants and not the protesters."
There have been numerous attacks on such processions across the country over the last few days.There have been numerous attacks on such processions across the country over the last few days.
On Sunday, eight people were killed when a suicide bomber targeted a Shia march in Pakistani-administered Kashmir.On Sunday, eight people were killed when a suicide bomber targeted a Shia march in Pakistani-administered Kashmir.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik blamed Monday's blast on extremists who wanted to destabilise Pakistan. Meanwhile, hundreds of civilians have died in bomb attacks in recent months as Pakistan's army concludes an offensive against Taliban militants in South Waziristan and surrounding areas.
The blast occurred in a congested area of the city
Karachi police chief Waseem Ahmed said the severed head of the bomber had been found.
After the explosion, marchers turned their anger on ambulance workers, security forces and journalists.
The bombing unleashed further pandemonium as angry Shia mourners fired shots in the air.
Our correspondent says an incident like this was feared by the authorities.
Stringent security measures had been put in place across the country over the last month.
Hundreds of civilians have been killed in bomb attacks in recent months as Pakistan's army pursues an offensive against Taliban militants in South Waziristan and surrounding areas.
Pakistan also has a long history of violence between Sunni and Shia Muslims that is estimated to have killed several thousand people in the last three decades alone.
Some radicals in the Sunni majority regard Shias - who make up about 20% of the population - as heretics.