Bomb Blast In Southwestern Pakistan Kills 6, Injures 50

[News_Editor]

Bomb blast in southwestern Pakistan kills 6, injures 50 < br />

2012-06-12 04:31:48 GMT+7 (ICT)

QUETTA, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- A bomb attached to a motorcycle exploded near a passenger bus in southwestern Pakistan on early Monday morning, killing at least six people and injuring more than 50 others, police said. It is believed the actual target was a group of Shiite pilgrims.

The explosion took place on a road in the Darengra area of Mastung district, approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles) southeast of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan province. It happened just as a passenger bus was passing next to the motorcycle, to which the explosive device was attached.

Police said the blast killed six people on the bus and injured around 50 others. Local residents rushed to the scene of the attack and security services later rushed those injured to a nearby hospital where they were treated for their injuries. Officials feared the death toll could rise as some remained in a critical condition.

Authorities said the target of the attack was likely a group of Shiite pilgrims who were on their way to Iran. They were traveling in a convoy of vehicles and had just passed the scene when the explosive device went off. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack.

On Friday afternoon, 19 people were killed and more than 40 others were injured when a powerful bomb blast ripped through a bus carrying employees of the Civil Secretariat between Charsadda district and Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and one of the most populous cities in Pakistan. Officials said the explosive device had been placed under the vehicle.

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