Pakistan: 30 killed, several injured in blast at civil hospital in Quetta

The explosion took place soon after lawyers arrived at the hospital when the Kasi's body was brought in, police said.

Karachi

: At least 30 people were on Monday killed and several others injured when a bomb ripped through a hospital in Quetta in Pakistan's restive southwestern Balochistan province followed by gunfire.

The loud explosion was heard after president of Balochistan Bar Association (BA) Advocate Bilal Anwar Kasi was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the provincial capital.

Pakistani police have raised the death toll from the bombing at the main gate of a government-run hospital in the southwestern city of Quetta to 30 killed.

Senior police official Zahoor Ahmed says also that dozens have been wounded in the explosion. The blast took place shortly after the body of a lawyer killed in a shooting attack earlier in the day was brought in on Monday.

The bomb exploded as lawyers brought Balochistan Bar Association's President Bilal Kasi, who was gunned down to the hospital, according to police and rescue officials.

Lawyers and journalists had gathered at the emergency department where Bilal Kasi's body was brought, when the explosion occurred. Most of the injured are lawyers, eye witnesses were quoted as saying in the local media.

At least 25 people were killed and 35 injured in the blast, Geo News reported.

Police said unknown men also opened fire after the blast.

Panic tore through the hospital after the incident and emergency has been declared at hospitals in Quetta. A heavy contingent of Frontier Corps and police arrived and cordoned off the area.

Unidentified armed men opened fire at Advocate Kasi's car near Quetta's Mengal Chowk on Manno Jan road, police officials told The Express Tribune. The former president was shifted to Civil Hospital, where he succumbed to injuries.

The provincial capital has been at the receiving end of several such acts of terror. In May, two persons were killed and five injured when an explosion occurred at the main entrance of Balochistan University.