Death toll in Pakistani shrine blasts rises to 50

Death toll in Pakistani shrine blasts rises to 50

2011-04-04 21:19:35 GMT+7 (ICT)

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (BNO NEWS) -- The death toll in Pakistani suicide blasts outside the Syed Ahmad Sakhi Sarwar shrine on Sunday rose to 50, officials said Monday.

The double suicide bombs occurred when hundreds and maybe thousands of devotees from around the country visited the shrine, which is located in Sakhi Sarwar, around 35 kilometers (21.7 miles) from Dera Ghazi Khan, that gathered for the annual urs celebrations.

The first blast occurred on Sunday at around 5 p.m. local time when a teenager blew himself up while devotional dances were being carried out near the main entrance. Around 15 minutes later, a second blast occurred at the shrine's staircase. In addition to 50 fatal victims, authorities said over 100 had been injured, but the death toll could rise as many injured were in critical condition.

According to police, a teenager and suspected suicide bomber was arrested before carrying out a third planned attack.

The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan condemned the terrorist attacks.

"No one is safe from the fanatic hatred of terrorists," the Embassy said. "They target political leaders, devout pilgrims, and school children. Nothing can justify their slaughter of innocents."

The Embassy also said the U.S. expressed solidarity with the people and government of Pakistan in their struggle for a peaceful and prosperous country.

Following the blasts, local authorities cordoned off the area to conduct investigations, but the shrine was reopened under tight security on Monday.

In July 2010, suicide bombers killed 42 people at Pakistan's Data Darbar shrine in Lahore, which is one of the most popular Sufi sites, and last October, 9 people were killed when suicide blasts struck another Sufi shrine, the Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine in Karachi.

Since 2007, almost 4,200 people have been killed due to suicide and bomb attacks, which have largely been blamed on the Taliban.

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