24 people killed in Pakistan after eating poisoned sweets: report

Twenty-four people have died and many hospitalised after eating poisoned sweets in Pakistan, a report says.

File. Source: AAP

At least nine members of the same family are among 24 people killed after eating sweets contaminated with pesticide in Pakistan.

CNN reports that Umer Hayat purchased five kilograms of laddu, yellow sweets made of dough and sugar, to celebrate his grandson’s birthday.

Mr Hayat reportedly bought the sweets from from a shop in the city of Karor Lal Esan in the Layyah district of Punjab province.

But after members of his family began to eat the sweets, they soon fell ill. Mr Hayat is currently in a critical condition while nine members of his family, including two children, are dead.

CNN reports a servant to the shopkeeper that sold the laddu has admitted to mixing pesticide into the sweets by accident.

The owners of the shop have reportedly been taken into custody.