Bus bombing kills 22 pilgrims in Pakistan

Pilgrims returning from Iran have been hit by a bomb in southwestern Pakistan, killing at least 22 and leaving 20 wounded.

Pakistan_blast_140122_AAP.JPG

Pakistani Shiite Muslims search the wreckage of a destroyed pilgrims bus after a bomb attack at Dringhar village on the Pakistan-Iran highway some 60 kilometres west of Quetta, Baluchistan's capital on January 21, 2014. (AAP)

At least 22 Shi'ite pilgrims returning from Iran have been killed and 20 others wounded after a bomb hit a bus in the southwest Pakistan province of Baluchistan.

The attack took place at Dringhar village on the Pakistan-Iran highway some 60km west of Quetta, Baluchistan's capital.

"At least 22 people were killed and 20 others were wounded," local government official Shafqat Shahwani said on Tuesday.

He said 51 passengers had been on board at the time of the blast and that nine passengers were still unaccounted for.

Provincial home secretary Asad Gilani said the buses had been travelling together with security vehicles provided by the government and that the bomb struck one of the buses.

Shahwani said that bomb disposal officials suspect the bomb was planted on the roadside and detonated remotely, but he did not rule out the possibility of a suicide attack.

He added that the driver of the bus told authorities that he did not see any car hitting his vehicle, but felt a sudden blast.


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Source: AAP


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