Twin suicide bombings at Pakistani shrine leave 42 dead

Apr 3, 2011, 17:19 GMT

Islamabad - At least 42 people were killed and over 100 injured on Sunday in two back-to-back suicide bombings at a shrine in central Pakistan, rescue workers said.

The attacks occurred at the mausoleum of Sufi saint Sakhi Sarwar, located some 40 kilometres from the city of Dera Ghazi Khan in eastern Punjab province.

'So far 42 people have been killed and over 100 injured in the suicide attacks at the shrine,' said Natiq Hayat, regional head of the state-run 1122 Rescue department. 'Nine children and 15 women are among the dead.'

Police chief of Dera Ghazi Khan district, Iftikhar Sahu, said two suicide bombers detonated their explosives near the main entrance of the shrine.

He said hundreds of people were present at the shrine to take part in an annual birthday celebration of the Sufi saint when the bombers struck.

TV footage showed gruesome images of blood soaked dead and injured as rescue workers scrambled to shift the victims to the hospitals.

Regional Police Chief, Ahmad Mubarik, said that two more 'suicide attackers' were also arrested from the place of attack.

'One of them was seriously injured, perhaps trying to detonate his explosives, and is being treated,' he said. 'He will be interrogated once he gets stable.'

Hayat said that the death toll may rise, as 20 of the injured were in critical conditions.

Awais Leghari, a recently elected opposition lawmaker, said that poor security arrangements were responsible for the attack.

'When police is more interested in protecting the government politicians than maintaining law and order, then such incidents occur,' said Leghari.

Geo Television said Taliban militants took responsibility for the attack.

The Islamic militnats have attacked several Sufi tombs in the past, as they consider such places incompatible with Islam, a view rejected by the followers of the saints.

Pakistan has been facing a new wave of suicide attacks which have targeted politicians and civilians.

At least 23 people were killed in two suicide attacks last week aimed at religious and political leader Maulana Fazalur Rehman of the hardline Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, in north-west Pakistan, but he survived.

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