In all, 70 people, majority lawyers, were killed by a suicide bomber at the hospital.
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At least 100 more were injured, some critically.
Many lawyers had rushed to the hospital in response to the news of the shooting, while media outlets sent reporters to cover the scene there.
“The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaat-ur-Ahrar takes responsibility for this attack, and pledges to continue carrying out such attacks”. Neither claim could be independently verified.
The US on Monday strongly condemned he terror attack at a hospital in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province and offered assistance to the Pakistani government in its bid to bring to justice the perpetrators of the assault. Earlier, police had mistakenly said the bomb struck the hospital’s main gate.
Many of those killed or wounded in the blast were lawyers, as well.
Lawyers across Pakistan have promised to strike in sympathy with the victims on Tuesday.
Waliur Rehman says he was taking his ailing father to the hospital’s emergency ward when the explosion shook the building on Monday.
The group of lawyers were at the unit because earlier in the day armed men had shot Bilal Anwar Kasi, reports said. Hospital officials confirmed another five bodies had been found, raising the overall toll to 25.
Almost 100 lawyers had come to the hospital in the heart of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, after the body of their colleague, Bilal, was brought there.
He added that funerals for numerous victims have already been held.
Baluchistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri agreed with that analysis.
In a statement, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the suicide bombing. He also instructed health officials to provide the best treatment possible.
“The commission and the Catholic Church stand firmly with the people of Balochistan in this hour” and asked the government “to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice”, said the church statement signed by justice and peace officials, including Bishop Joseph Arshad of Faisalabad, chairman.
“It was a suicide attack”, said senior police officer Zahoor Ahmed Afridi.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. At least 30 people were wounded.
“Lawyers are relatively more vocal against militancy and they are fighting cases against people accused of terrorism, so it would make sense that they are being targeted”, Ali Malik, a Lahore-based lawyer, told news agency Reuters.
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Shops and schools were closed and security was tight in various parts of the local Balochistan province on Tuesday, as relatives began to bury the victims of the attack, Shah said.
