Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Pakistan Shah Noorani shrine hit by deadly blast

An explosion at a remote Sufi Muslim shrine in the Pakistani region of Balochistan has killed 52 people and injured more than 100, officials say.

Emergency services struggled to reach the Shah Noorani shrine in Kuzdar.

Worshippers were performing dhamal - a trance-like dance - when the bomb hit. So-called Islamic State says one of its suicide bombers carried it out.

Sufism, a tolerant, mystical practice of Islam, has millions of followers in Pakistan but is opposed by extremists.

The shrine attracts Sufi devotees from all over the country, as well as neighbouring Iran.

Image copyright AP Image caption Relatives gathered at a hospital in Karachi

Image copyright AP Image caption It is thought at least 70 people are injured

Image copyright @ImranKhanPTI

Officials say the bomb blast took place while hundreds of worshippers were present, taking part in the dhamal, which is staged every sunset.

Because the shrine is in rough, hilly terrain, rescue efforts are difficult.

A renowned charity, the Edhi Foundation, says it has sent 50 ambulances which are now carrying people to hospitals in Karachi, 100km (62 miles) away, but officials say they need helicopters to save more lives.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack and called for speedy rescue efforts.

Imran Khan, former cricketer and head of the Tehreek-e-Insaf party, said the attack had targeted the "core of our society".

The BBC's Charles Haviland says that because Sufism includes music and dance and reverence for saints, religious zealots often target its sites in Pakistan.

In June a famous Sufi singer, Amjad Sabri, was assassinated by two gunmen in Karachi.

Extremist groups in the province of Balochistan have frequently targeted civilians this year.

In October, dozens were killed in an attack on a police college in the city of Quetta and in August an attack on a hospital there killed 70 people.

But doubt has been cast over IS claims of previous attacks in the country.</s>Blast kills at least 52 at Balochistan shrine: officials

QUETTTA: At least 52 people died and more than 100 others were injured Saturday in a bomb blast at a remote Sufi shrine in Balochistan, officials said, with the Islamic State group (Daesh) claiming the attack.

The blast hit worshippers participating in a ceremony at the shrine of the Sufi saint Shah Noorani, some 750 kilometres (460 miles) south of Quetta.

"At least 52 people have been killed and some 105 others wounded," provincial Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti told AFP, adding that there were women and children among the victims.

Local officials said worshippers were taking part in a devotional dance session, which is held daily before dusk, when the blast occurred.

Authorities said they had dispatched ambulances and medical workers from Karachi, a three-hour drive from the shrine -- which is located in a remote, mountainous region with limited emergency facilities.

Hafeez Ali, a 26-year-old mechanic from Karachi, said he was sitting on a hillside and watching the evening´s dance to drumbeat when he heard a loud noise and saw smoke rising.

"We realised that it was a bomb blast. Two of us rushed down and saw the bodies scattered all around -- mostly children. We also saw the drum beater dead and his exploded drum was lying nearby," Ali told AFP.

Ali said the shrine sits on a hill which devotees have to climb for half an hour as no road goes there, causing difficulties for rescuers.

Pakistan Army spokesman Lieutenant General Asim said 20 ambulances and 50 soldiers had reached the site, while a further 45 ambulances 100 troops were on their way.

A military helicopter would attempt evacuations at night, he added, but medical teams could not access the area by plane as their were no air strips close by.

Four bodies and 21 of the injured had arrived in Karachi´s Civil Hospital, officials said.

President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the bombing in separate statements.

"The government is determined to eliminate terrorism and extremists from the country," Hussain said in a statement expressing sympathy with the victims and their families.

A statement from Sharif´s office said the prime minister called for the "best medical treatment" to be given to the wounded.

Up to 600 people were at the shrine at the time of the attack, according to local official Tariq Mengal, who told Geo TV that many devotees travelled to the site from Karachi during weekends.

The bombing follows the killing of Amjad Sabri, a renowned Sufi singer, by two gunmen in Karachi in June.

Some observers have said that Sabri may have been assassinated because he was a high-profile Sufi.

.</s>HUB – At least 62 people were killed and 102 were injured injured after a bomb went off in the crowded Shah Noorani Shrine in Hub town of Balochistan’s Lasbela District on Saturday evening. Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti

HUB – At least 62 people were killed and 102 were injured injured after a bomb went off in the crowded Shah Noorani Shrine in Hub town of Balochistan’s Lasbela District on Saturday evening.

Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti confirmed over 50 deaths in the incident.

The militant Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attack, according to international news agencies.

Shah Noorani Shrine: Initial report Afghan teen carried out suicide blast

Teams of medics and paramedics from Pakistan Army’s Medical Corps and Pakistan Rangers Sindh reached the site of explosion, and gave first aid to the injured. After preliminary medical attention, the injured were referred to nearby hospitals in Hub, Khuzdar and Lasbella.

Rescue teams reached the scene after six hours.

Details coming from local TV reports suggest the blast occurred near the courtyard at the shrine where devotees were performing Dhamal on Saturday.

According to senior Edhi official in Khuzdar district, at the time of the blast, there were at least 500 people gathered at the spot to view the performance.

Rescue teams reached the scene and started shifting the injured to nearby hospitals. A control room was also established in Quetta to coordinate rescue efforts.

Emergency has been imposed in Civil Hospital Karachi, AMS Dr. Abdul Qadir said.

The fateful incident occurs a day after the law enforcement agencies killed commander of a banned outfit during an action in Hub area.

Security forces kill Jundullah commander in Hub

In a joint action, late on Thursday night, Rangers, Frontier Corps and police gunned down commander Arif alias Saqib of banned outfit Jundullah, after exchange of fire.

Arif was mastermind of suicide attacks in Karachi and Balochistan. Huge cache of arms and ammunition was seized during the action. Meanwhile, a widespread operation has also been launched to hunt for his accomplices.

The shrine is also located in hilly terrain, which further added to the difficulties faced by emergency services.

Hazrat Baba Shah Noorani’s Shrine, which is more than 500 years old, is located in Hub in Balochistan province. It is surrounded by a striking mountain range where one can find a diversity of animal life.

Shah Noorani has been the abode of many Sufi Saints belonging to various schools of thought. It is also believed that the Prophet Noah tied his boat at this place after the great Deluge. According to the local tradition even Adam also lived here for some time.

There are “Chillagahs” (worship cells) of almost every prominent Sufi saint such as Hazrat Qalandar Lal Shahbaz, Khawaja Moeenuddin Chishti Ajmeri, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, etc.</s>HUB: At least 52 people including women and children were killed and more than 100 injured in a suicide blast in Shah Noorani shrine near Hub in Balochistan’s Lasbella district on Saturday evening, rescue sources told Geo News.

Teams of medics and paramedics from Pakistan Army's Medical Corps and Pakistan Rangers Sindh reached the site of the explosion and administered first aid to the wounded. The injured, after preliminary medical attention, were shifted to the nearest hospitals in Hub, Khuzdar and Lasbella and Civil Hospital in Karachi.

35 dead bodies have been transferred to Civil Hospital in Karachi, where emergency has been declared.

The shrine has been re-opened for the masses after preliminary rescue work.

According to sources, the attack was carried out by a young man who used ball bearings in the explosives for maximum damage.

Difficult-to-access area

Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said that the explosion took place when the devotees were engaged in dhamaal.

He said ambulances and rescue teams from Lasbela and Hub rushed to Shah Noorani, located about 200km away from Karachi.

"It takes some three hours from Hub to reach the Shah Noorani shrine which is located in a difficult mountainous area where mobile phone service also does not work", he added.

He said helicopter ambulances could not be used because of darkness.

In-charge Edhi Foundation Lasbella Hakeem Lassi told Geo News that more than 100 people were injured. He said that more than 10 ambulances of Edhi Foundation reached the blast site and rescue efforts were underway.

Even the nearest hospitals are at least two hours away from the location of the blast. Many died because they could not receive medical treatment on time.

COAS orders max assistance for evacuation: DG ISPR

Director-General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa on Twitter said that Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has ordered maximum assistance for evacuation and on-spot medical treatment of the injured.

Shah Noorani:50 sldrs with 2 med teams arrived on site.Will treat&evacuate injured.2 heli airborne frm Qta,long flight,will attempt ldng-5 — Gen Asim Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) November 12, 2016

Shah Noorani Blast:Evacuation through aircraft not possible since no landing strip in area. Night Heli evacuation will be attempted-4 — Gen Asim Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) November 12, 2016

Shah Noorani Blast:Another 100 sldrs,4 med teams &45 ambulances also on their way.Sind Rangers ambulances&doctors also on their way-3 — Gen Asim Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) November 12, 2016

'500-600 people were present at the shrine'

Talking to Geo News, Additional Deputy Commissioner Lasbella Tariq Mengal said that 500 to 600 people were in the shrine at the time of the blast.

Mengal said that many people on Saturdays and Sundays arrive in the shrine to participate in the dhamaal, a traditional folk dance.

He said that the authorities were trying to shift the injured to Karachi for medical treatment but rescue teams and law enforcers faced difficulty in reaching the site of the blast as it is located in a remote area of the province.

"Every day, around sunset, there is a dhamaal here, and there are large numbers of people who come for this", said Nawaz Ali, the shrine's custodian.

Initial investigation

Initial investigation report on the attack has been prepared. The report confirms the attack was suicidal in nature and was carried out by a young man at 5:50 pm on Saturday. Investigative officials said the attacker looked of Afghani origin.

According to the report, over 7kg of explosives were used in the bomb. Ball bearings were used to inflict maximum damage.

12 Levies personnel were stationed in and around the Shah Noorani shrine at the time of the blast. There were no metal detectors and walk-through gates at the shrine, officials said.

The head of the attacker has been recovered from the rubble and sent to relevant authorities for investigation.

The attack is suspected to have been carried out by a banned outfit which has previously been involved in similar attacks on shrines in the country.

PM strongly condemns Shah Noorani blast

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the bomb blast in the Shah Noorani shrine and directed the concerned authorities to speed up the rescue activities.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member of the National Assembly Talal Chaudhry also strongly condemned the attack. He said action would be taken against those who were responsible for negligence in this regard.

He said incidents of terrorism had reduced due to effective measures taken by the government.

Chairman Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also condemned the bomb blast. "From schools to hospitals and mosques to Dargahs terrorists are hitting at every innocent target and killing the people like hunters do to birds", he said in a statement.

"Shah Noorani bomb blast shows that nation needs unity to fight the cancer of terrorism without any delinquency on any one's part", PPP chairman added.

He expressed deep shock at the loss of innocent lives and sympathized with those who lost their near and dear ones.

Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri strongly condemned the Shah Noorani blast and ordered the officials to use all available resources in rescue operation.

He affirmed that his government would continue action against terrorists to rid Balochistan of terrorism.

Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan also condemned the incident and sought report from Inspector General Frontier Constabulary.</s>An explosion at a Muslim shrine in southwestern Pakistan killed at least 25 people and wounded dozens of others, local officials said.

Hashim Ghilzai, a local district commissioner, told Reuters that the toll was based on initial reports, and could rise further.

The blast occurred at the Shah Noorani shrine in Balochistan province, about 100km (62 miles) north of the port city of Karachi. It took place while hundreds of people were inside, said Mr Ghalzai.

Dozens of wounded people were being moved to the nearby town of Hub and to Karachi, rescue official Hakeem Nasi told Geo TV.

The government dispatched 25 ambulances from Hub to the shrine, said Akbar Harifal, provincial home secretary for Baluchistan.

“Every day, around sunset, there is a dhamaal [ritual dance] here, and there are large numbers of people who come for this,” said Nawaz Ali, the shrine’s custodian.

Balochistan has seen some of the worst militant attacks this year in Pakistan, one of which was claimed by an Islamist movement that is allied to the Islamic State group.

The province is also key to a $46 billion transport and trade corridor between Pakistan and China, which hinges on a deep-water port in the southwestern city of Gwadar.</s>At least 20 people have been killed along with at least 30 injured in an explosion in Shah Noorani’s shrine in Khuzdar, Balochistan.

20 ambulances have reached the site and started emergency rescue services, despite initial difficulties because of the remote location of the shrine. Law enforcement officials have also reached the site to begin their investigations.

“People who are critically injured in the blast will be transported to Karachi,” said Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti.

The shrine sees a larger number of people every Friday compared to the rest of the week

MORE FROM THIS SECTION</s>QUETTA, PAKISTAN: At least 10 people died and 30 others were injured when a bomb exploded at a Sufi shrine in southern Pakistan’s Balochistan province Saturday, officials said.

“At least 10 people were killed and 30 others were wounded in a bomb blast at the shrine of Shah Noorani,” local government official Javed Iqbal told AFP. -AFP</s>QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) – An explosion claimed by militant group Islamic State ripped through a Muslim shrine in southwestern Pakistan yesterday, killing at least 52 people and wounding scores, officials said.

The blast at the Shah Noorani shrine occurred while hundreds of people were inside, local district commissioner Hashim Ghalzai told Reuters.

Provincial Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said 52 people were killed and that more than 105, including many women and children, were wounded.

“Every day, around sunset, there is a dhamaal (ritual dance) here, and there are large numbers of people who come for this,” said Nawaz Ali, the shrine’s custodian.

The shrine is located in Baluchistan province about 100 km (60 miles) north of the port city of Karachi, to where rescue official Hakeem Nasi told Geo TV dozens of wounded were being moved.

The government dispatched 25 ambulances from the nearby town of Hub to the shrine, said Akbar Harifal, provincial home secretary for Baluchistan. The army was called in to assist with rescue operations, given the remoteness of the site, Bugti said.

It was not clear whether the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber or a planted device, according to Bugti.

The province has seen some of the worst militant attacks this year in Pakistan.

Islamic State said in a statement via its Amaq news agency that its fighters had carried out yesterday’s bombing.

The jihadist group also claimed responsibility for the last major attack in the province, at a police academy last month, that killed around 60 people.

Muslim shrines have often been targeted by militant groups, many of whom adhere to a strict interpretation of Islam that regards veneration of saints at shrines such as Shah Noorani as heresy.

Baluchistan is also a key link in a $46 billion transport and trade corridor between Pakistan and China, which hinges on a deep-water port in the southwestern city of Gwadar.</s>An explosion claimed by militant group Islamic State ripped through a Muslim shrine in southwestern Pakistan on Saturday, killing at least 43 people and wounding scores, officials said.

The blast at Shah Noorani shrine occurred while hundreds of people were inside, local district commissioner Hashim Ghilzai told Reuters.

Provincial home minister Sarfaraz Bugti said 43 people were killed and Mr Ghilzai said more than 100 were wounded.

“Every day, around sunset, there is a dhamaal [ritual dance] here, and there are large numbers of people who come for this,” said Nawaz Ali, the shrine’s custodian.

The shrine is located in Balochistan province about 100km (60 miles) north of the port city of Karachi, to where rescue official Hakeem Nasi told Geo TV dozens of wounded were being moved.

The government dispatched 25 ambulances from the nearby town of Hub to the shrine, said Akbar Harifal, provincial home secretary for Balochistan. The army was called in to assist with rescue operations, given the remoteness of the site, Mr Bugti said.

It was not clear if the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber or a planted device, according to Mr Bugti.

The province has seen some of the worst militant attacks this year in Pakistan.

Islamic State said in a statement via its Amaq news agency that its fighters had carried out Saturday’s bombing.

The jihadist group also claimed responsibility for the last major attack in the province, at a police academy last month, that killed about 60 people.

Muslim shrines have often been targeted by militant groups, many of whom adhere to a strict interpretation of Islam that regards veneration of saints at shrines such as Shah Noorani as heresy.</s>Through its media wing Amaq, ISIS claimed responsibility for the blast on a Sufi shrine in the Lasbela district of Balochistan, 120 miles from Karachi.

About 500 people had assembled to perform a Sufi ritual at the Shah Noorani Shrine when the bomb went off, according to Sarfraz Bugti, the home minister of Balochistan province.

The remoteness of the region made it difficult to get emergency services to the area, but rescue operations are underway, he said.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif issued a statement, condemning the blast and ordering federal and provincial authorities to "bring the perpetrators to task immediately."

Imran Khan, the head of the Tehreek-e-Insaf party and a former cricketer, said the attack hit at the "core" of Pakistan's society. We must move resolutely ag sectarian terrorism striking at core of our society. Shah Noorani shrine latest target of condemnable terror act — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 12, 2016 In September, Pakistan's military acknowledged for the first time that ISIS had a presence in the country. In October, ISIS attacked a police academy in Quetta , Pakistan killing 61 and injuring 117.
At least 52 people, including women and children, have been killed and more than 100 injured by a bomb explosion in the crowded Shah Noorani Shrine in Hub town, Lasbela District, Balochistan, Pakistan. ISIL has claimed responsibility.