Authorities say a massive bomb exploded near a mosque during a celebration of the birthday of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad in southwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing at least 52 people and injuring almost 70 others.
The explosion, which authorities said was caused by a suicide bomber, occurred in Mastung, a region in Baluchistan province, where some 500 people had gathered for a march to commemorate Muhammad’s birth day. On the occasion of Mawlid an-Nabi, Muslims hold rallies and offer free meals to the public.
The aftermath of the bombing was captured on television and in social media recordings. The shoes of the dead and injured were scattered across an open space near the mosque. People were observed bringing injured people to medical attention, and local hospitals declared a state of emergency, requesting blood donations, according to the Associated Press.
According to government administrator Atta Ullah, some of the people injured in the incident were rushed to the hospital in critical condition. According to Abdul Rasheed, the District Health Officer in Mastung, 30 dead were sent to one hospital, and 22 others were counted at a second.
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“The bomber detonated himself near the vehicle of the Deputy Superintendent of Police,” the deputy inspector general of police, Munir Ahmed, told Reuters.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes amid a rise in activity by Pakistani extremist groups.
The Pakistan Taliban has a history of attacking security forces, but it has distanced itself from the incident. Since its inception in 2007, the group has carried out some of the worst operations inside Pakistan, claiming that it does not target places of worship or civilians.
Authorities had already ordered police to be on high alert, warning that Islamists could target rallies honoring Muhammad’s birthday.
Another blast occurred Friday outside a mosque on the grounds of a police station in Hangu, a district in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing seven people, according to a local police officer.
According to him, the mud-brick mosque fell as a result of the hit, and rescuers were working to clear debris and extricate worshipers from the ruins. The cause of the explosion has yet to be determined by the police.
When the blast occurred, there were approximately 40 people worshiping inside the mosque; most of them were police officers.
Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi has denounced the incident and asked that the government provide all possible aid to the injured and victims’ families.
Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti issued a statement condemning the explosion and expressing sadness and mourning over the loss of life. He called it a “heinous act” to target people participating in the Mawlid an-Nabi procession.
