Bomb thrown at Muharram procession in Pakistan, 20 killed

At least 20 people were killed and dozens injured when a bomb was detonated in a Muharram procession in Pakistan's Sindh province on Friday night, media reported.

The dead and critically injured were shifted to Larkana hospital, where an emergency had been declared, Dawn TV reported.

The blast targeted mourners taking part in the Muharram procession at Lashari Mohalla and caused injuries to a large number of people.

According to police, it was a planted bomb which was remotely detonated.

Security personnel cordoned off the area, while a search and rescue operation was carried out.

Sectarian violence has claimed thousands of lives in the country over the past decade.

The Sindh government had already imposed a ban on pillion riding in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana.

Moreover, cell phone services have also been suspended in major cities, including Karachi, as a security measure during the observance of Muharram.

The gatherings and processions during Muharram mark Hazrat Hussein's martyrdom in the Battle of Karbala, Iraq, in 680 AD.