‘Heartless’ bomber kills 75 mourners at Pakistani hospital

A blast at the accident and emergency department of a hospital in Pakistan’s Quetta has left not less than 75 people dead.

According to Al Jazeera, the blast occurred where a group of mourning lawyers were gathered to accompany the body of a murdered colleague.

Mohammed Omar Baloch, health secretary of Balochistan, said at least 75 people were killed in the suicide blast on Monday morning.

He added that there were fears that the death toll could rise further, as more than 50 others were wounded in the attack.

Sarfraz Bugti, Balochistan home minister, said the blast “occurred after a number of lawyers and some journalists had gathered at the hospital, following the death of the president of the Balochistan Bar Association in a separate shooting incident early this morning”.

Many of the dead appeared to be wearing black suits and ties.

The attack on the hospital has been described as “heartless”, with citizens asking where patients would be taken to, if hospitals are no longer spared from such attacks.

Imran Khan, a Pakistani politician, described the act as cowardly, saying hospitals are spared in war.

Condemnable cowardly terrorists strike Quetta targeting bar president then civil hospital. Even in war hospitals not delib targeted.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 8, 2016