People transfer an injured man from the blast site in Quetta, Pakistan, on Aug. 8, 2016. At least 93 people were killed and 56 others injured in a suicide blast inside the emergency ward of a hospital in Pakistan's southwest Quetta city on Monday morning, local media and officials said. (Xinhua/Asad)
ISLAMABAD, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least 93 people were killed and 56 others injured in a suicide blast inside the emergency ward of a hospital in Pakistan's southwest Quetta city on Monday morning, local media and officials said.
Local Urdu TV channel ARY News said the dead included 25 lawyers and two journalists while there was a large number of lawyers and some journalists in over 50 injured people who have been shifted to various hospitals in Quetta, the capital city of the country's southwest Balochistan province.
Rehmat Baloch, the health minister of Balochistan, confirmed the suicide blast left 93 people killed and scores others injured.
He said a state of emergency has been declared in all hospitals of the city to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured.
A bomb disposal squad said the blast was carried out by a suicide bomber who was hiding an estimated eight to 10 kg of explosive materials in his vest.
The squad said they have found limbs of the bomber, which will be sifted for lab test to help further investigations.
Sanaullah Zehri, Chief Minister Balochistan, said the blast happened when a large number of lawyers and journalists were gathering in the Civil Hospital Quetta to collect body of the president of Balochistan Bar Association who was killed in a separate attack.
The president, Bilal Kasi, was killed when some unknown gunmen attacked his vehicle in Manno Jan area of Quetta.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
A heavy contingent of police and paramilitary troops rushed to the blast site and cordoned it off for investigations.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the blast and vowed to root out militancy from the country.
The country's Army Chief Raheel Sharif arrived at Quetta to ask after the health of the injured people.
The Balochistan government announced a three-day mourning and the national flag will fly on half-mast during the mourning days in the province.
The explosion caused a chain reaction from the circles of lawyers in the country.
Lawyers in Balochistan and the country's southern port city of Karachi boycotted court proceedings.
The Pakistan Bar Association condemned the attack and announced a three-day mourning.
