55 Killed, Over 100 Injured In Blast At Hospital In Pakistan

At least 55 people were killed and 100 injured, mostly lawyers, injured on Monday when a bomb ripped through a hospital in Quetta in Pakistan’s restive south-western Balochistan province followed by gunfire.

The loud explosion was heard as lawyers brought the body of president of Balochistan Bar Association (BA) advocate Bilal Anwar Kasi, who was gunned down by unidentified assailants earlier in the provincial capital, to the hospital, according to police and rescue officials.

Lawyers and journalists had gathered at the emergency department where Kasi’s body was brought, when the explosion occurred. Most of the injured are lawyers, eye witnesses were quoted as saying in the local media.

Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said over 30 killed in the bombing. “This was a security lapse and I am having this personally investigated,” he said.

Police said unknown men also opened fire after the blast.