ISLAMABAD, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed and over 20 others were injured in a suicide blast at a Shia mosque in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Thursday night, officials said.
Sarfraz Bugti, home minister of Balochistan, said that the suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance of the mosque when a religious congregation was taking place inside there in Bhag area, a sparsely populated town located some 300 km off provincial capital of Quetta.
He said there were around 200 people inside the congregation hall where the bomber wanted to enter, but exploded himself at the entrance due to strict security measures.
He said that paramilitary troops Frontier Corps were providing security to the mosque and an extra contingent of the force was also called in following the explosion.
The injured people have been shifted to a nearby hospital where several of them are said to be in critical condition.
The bomb disposal squad reached at the blast site and found the head of the bomber whose age was reported as 18 to 20 years.
Windows of nearby buildings were smashed due to the impact of the explosion which was heard in a wide area, the home minister said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet, but the police said that the incident seems to be a sectarian attack on the minority Shia Muslims.
