Summary The explosion took place inside an Imambargah in Lakhi Dar area.
KARACHI (Web Desk / AFP) – At least 54 people were killed and 50 others injured as explosion hit an imambargah in Shikarpur district of Sindh, around 470 kilometres (300 miles) north of Karachi, Deputy Commissioner Haadi Bakhsh reported.
According to police, the explosion took place inside an imambargah in Lakhi Dar area during Friday prayers.
Heavy contingent of Rangers personnel arrived at the scene while locals shifted the injured to nearby hospitals on their own.
Severly injured people have been rushed to civil hospitals in Sukkur, Larkana and Khairpur where ermergency has been declared on the directives of Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah.
According to initial report, ball bearings and nut bolts have been recovered the blast scene.
The attack came as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Karachi, the capital of Sindh province, to discuss the law and order situation in the city.
PM Nawaz and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan strongly condemned the incident. They expressed condolences with the bereaved families.
The Prime Minister directed for provision of best medical facilities to the injured.
It is the bloodiest single sectarian attack in Pakistan since January 22 last year, when 24 Shia pilgrims returning from Iran were killed when their bus was bombed in southwestern Balochistan province.
