Islamabad, Jan 30 (IANS) At least 15 people were reportedly killed and 40 injured in an explosion inside a central imambargah — mosque affiliated with Shia Muslims — in Pakistan’s Sindh province Friday.
The imambargah is located in Lakhi Dar area of Shikarpur district and the explosion occurred just after Friday prayers, Dawn reported.
A number of victims were trapped under the debris after the roof of the imambargah collapsed due to the force of the blast.
While describing the incident a failure of the government, Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) announced a three-day mourning.
Shikarpur senior superintendent of police Saqib Ismail said that at least 40 people were injured in the blast. He added that the victims were shifted to Civil Hospital Shikarpur.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said that emergency had been imposed at all hospitals in Shikarpur and surrounding talukas and cities.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan and Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain issued messages condemning the incident.
A bomb disposal squad has been dispatched to the area from Sukkur and rescue teams have reached the imambargah where the explosion took place.
Speculation prevails that a suicide bomber may have carried out the explosion.
It was the second major attack on an imambargah in the country since the beginning of 2015, the first being an attack on Rawalpindi’s imambargah Aun Mohammad Rizvi in the garrison city’s Chatian Hatian area.