Death toll of south Pakistan's mosque blast rises to 61

The death toll of a bomb explosion in Pakistan's south Shikarpur district rose to 61 after several more people succumbed to injuries at hospitals on Saturday, local media and officials said.

Raja Umar Khitab, chief of Crime Investigation Department (CID), said Friday's explosion was carried out by a suicide bomber who blew himself up inside a mosque of Shiite Muslims in Lakhi Dar area of Shikarpur, a district in the southern Sindh province.

The bomber, aged around 20 years, was carrying an estimated 5 kg of explosives and ball bearings in his suicide jacket to magnify the impact of the blast, he said.

Around 400 Shiite Muslims were listening to the sermon shortly before the Friday prayer in the two-story building of the mosque when the bomber blew himself up in the gathering of the worshipers at the ground floor.

Following the attack, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), a representative group of Shiite Muslims in the country, staged sit- ins in various areas of Karachi, the capital city of Sindh province.

On the call of the MWM, a large number of men, women and children took part in the sit-ins and demanded government take actions against the militants involved in the massive sectarian violence.

The Sindh government also observed Saturday as a day of mourning to express solidarity with the families of the deceased. National flag flew at half mast at all government buildings in the province.

A large number of people also took to the streets in Shikarpur and other major districts of Sindh to protest against the blast.

Business and schools remained closed in Karachi and Shikarpur.

The provincial government suspended two police officials for showing negligence in performing their duties and arrested a constable designated for the security of the mosque which came under attack.

Sindh police chief formed a two-member committee comprising of CID officials to investigate the incident.

Friday's attack took place at a time when Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was chairing a meeting on the law and order situation in Karachi. Sharif has condemned the bomb attack.

Local media reports said the banned outfit Jandullah, a splinter group of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the bombing.

A spokesperson of Jandullah, the militant group of Sunni Muslims, said they targeted Shiites as they are their enemies. Endi