Suicide bomber kills 30 in Pak

The blast, which took place hours after President Pervez Musharraf returned home from a foreign trip, killed many worshippers and caused a deep crater within the mosque, which was badly damaged.

At least 30 people were killed and 70 injured in the explosion, state television reported quoting officials. Many injured were said to be serious.

Musharraf condemned the attack and said it showed that terrorists had no religion and are enemies to mankind and renewed his commitment to root them out.

Witnesses said the blast resulted in chaos as survivors tried to flee in panic. District Mayor Naeem said dozens of people were taken to hospital in critical condition.

As the news spread protesters from minority Shia community went on rampage and burnt a police car and pelted stones at police, reports said.

Information Minister Sheikh Rashid said the blast could be a retaliation to the killing of Al Qaeda operational chief in Pakistan Amjad Hussain Farooqi, one of the hijackers of the Indian Airlines plane from Kathmandu, was killed in Nawabshan five days ago.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also denounced the blast, saying the explosion was an attempt by the extremist groups to tarnish country’s positive image created by Musharraf to bring in foreign investment.

‘‘Every time the President concludes a successful visit abroad to create positive impression of Pakistan and canvass for foreign investment in Pakistan, these extremists elements try to spoil his efforts,’’ he told TV networks here.

Police said the explosion, like in the previous such blasts in Shi’ite mosques in Karachi and Quetta, was caused by a suicide bomber, believed to have been from the ranks of the banned Sunni extremist group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

Army has been deployed in the city to restore peace. –(PTI)