At least 52 people were killed and dozens more injured after a blast ripped through a religious procession in an area of restive southwestern Pakistan on Thursday.
The blast affected a procession of Shia Muslims in the district of Mastung in Balochistan province, according to provincial home minister Ziaullah Langove. He said the bomb exploded near the end of the procession, which was marking the death anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson. Balochistan have long been plagued by separatist and sectarian violence.
Security forces were quick to respond to the bombing, setting up checkpoints and blockades in the area and working to secure the procession route.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, though the Provincial Home Minister denounced it, stating it was a “cowardly act that targeted innocent people”. The Balochistan Liberation Army, a militant group who has been linked to a spate of bomb attacks in the province, has denied responsibility for the blast.
The attack has been widely condemned, with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan expressing “grief over the loss of innocent lives” in a tweet. Bystanders have also gathered to condemn the attack and to pay tribute to those who were killed.
