Blast toll at Shiite mosque rises to 33

PAKISTAN: The death toll from a suspected suicide bombing near a Shiite mosque in central Pakistan rose to 33 on Friday with 52 people wounded, a senior police official said.

The town of Dera Ghazi Khan was in shutdown with schools, shops, businesses and offices closed following a night of violent protests overnight staged by Shiite students condemning the attack late Thursday. The protesters damaged a police vehicle and broke traffic lights and signs, police and witnesses said.

Senior police official Maqsoodal Hassan told AFP that the death toll from the bombing had risen to 33, with 26 bodies identified by relatives.

He said that 52 people were wounded in the blast and that 13 were critical.

“We have deployed extra police and reinforcements from neighbouring towns have arrived in Dera Ghazi Khan,” Hassan said.

MULTAN, Friday, AFP