People transfer an injured man after a suicide blast in southwest Pakistan's Jacobabad on Oct. 23, 2015. At least 20 people including seven kids were killed and 30 others injured when a suicide blast hit Pakistan's southern Jacobabad district on Friday night, officials said. (Xinhua/Stringer)
ISLAMABAD, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 people including seven kids were killed and 30 others injured when a suicide blast hit Pakistan's southern Jacobabad district on Friday night, officials said.
Sain Rakhio Miran, Deputy Inspector General Police, confirmed that 17 kids and several women were among the injured who have been shifted to a nearby hospital.
Malik Zafar Iqbal Awan, Senior Superintendent Police, said the suicide bomber's target was a mourning procession of Shiite Muslims which was passing by the site when the blast happened in Lashari Mohalla area of Jacobabad, a district located in the country's southern Sindh province.
He said policemen have recovered lower part of the bomber's body from the blast site.
Medical superintendent of civil hospital, where the injured people were shifted, said the death toll is feared to rise as 15 among the injured Shiite mourners are in critical condition.
Following the blast, a group of angry protestors stormed the Deputy Superintendent Police's office accusing the law enforcement agencies for proving inadequate security to the procession which resulted in the blast.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
Police cordoned off the area for investigations.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Mamnoon Hussain condemned the blast and directed hospital authorities to provide best possible medical treatment to the injured.
Security has been beefed up at all Shiite mosques and mourning procession routes across the country, following the attack which is the second sectarian attack in the country over the last 24 hours.
Earlier on Thursday night, 12 people were killed and over 20 others injured in a suicide blast at a Shiite mosque in Quetta city of southwestern Balochistan province.
