18 killed in bomb blast in E. Pakistan
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Xinhua, January 16, 2012
At least 18 people were killed and over 30 injured when a bomb blast hit a religious procession in eastern Pakistani province of Punjab on Sunday, reported local Urdu TV ARY.
![People transfer an injured man from the blast site in eastern Pakistan's Khanpur on Jan. 15, 2012. At least 18 people were killed and over 30 injured when a bomb blast hit a religious procession in eastern Pakistani province of Punjab on Sunday, reported local Urdu TV ARY. [Faisal Sheikh/Xinhua]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20120116/000cf1bdd03f107dfb8828.jpg "People transfer an injured man from the blast site in eastern Pakistan's Khanpur on Jan. 15, 2012. At least 18 people were killed and over 30 injured when a bomb blast hit a religious procession in eastern Pakistani province of Punjab on Sunday, reported local Urdu TV ARY. [Faisal Sheikh/Xinhua]") |
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People transfer an injured man from the blast site in eastern Pakistan's Khanpur on Jan. 15, 2012. At least 18 people were killed and over 30 injured when a bomb blast hit a religious procession in eastern Pakistani province of Punjab on Sunday, reported local Urdu TV ARY. [Faisal Sheikh/Xinhua] |
The bomb was detonated by a remote control device at about 1:45 p.m. (local time) when a group of around 150 Shiite Muslims passed by in Khanpur city in Punjab.
Earlier, police officers claimed one of the flags got stuck in high voltage electric wires which resulted in the explosion of a transformer.
Later, a spokesman of Water and Power Development Authority ( WPDA) in Khanpur rejected the claims.
Talking to ARY, Mushtaq Kichhi said that the explosive was fixed to an electric pole and it went off when the procession of Shiite Muslims passed by it.
The injured were admitted to hospitals in neighboring city of Rahim Yar Khan. Hospital sources said the death toll may further rise as several of the injured are in critical condition.
After the blast, hundreds of Shiite Muslims threw stones at police station and chanted slogans against government officials.
Talking to local media, the protesters complained that the religious gathering became an easy target of terrorists because the police failed to provide them with adequate security.
Shiite Muslims are holding prayers across Pakistan on Sunday to commemorate the death of the grandson of Prophet Mohammed in the seventh century.
Shiite Muslims are minority in Pakistan and often become a target of sectarian violence.
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