Pakistan residents in the southwestern province of Balochistan mourned and called for government action on Saturday after the death toll from a suicide bombing attack climbed to 55, according to a health official.
A local hospital in Mastung was packed with people visiting their injured relatives, while others mourned and stood next to the bodies of their loved ones who were killed in Friday’s attack.
The bomber detonated his explosives near a police vehicle where people were gathering for a procession to mark the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad, a senior police official said.
“It was around 9:30 a.m. in the morning. There were a lot of people there, there were about 100 or 150 people. They all fell to the ground (when the blast happened),” a man who wished to remain anonymous said.
“Blasts are taking place. Law enforcement agencies must take some action. This is tyranny. This is barbarism on the holy occasion of the Prophet’s birthday. We condemn it,” said Kashif Shah, whose cousin was injured in the blast.
Separately, a second attack in neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa killed five people at a mosque on Friday, according to rescue officials. The roof collapsed, a local news broadcaster said, trapping about 30 to 40 people under the rubble.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, from which the death toll could climb, with many people seriously injured and others having been trapped beneath the wreckage.
