Members of a bomb disposal squad searched the area.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack. Similar attacks in the recent past have been blamed on the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a notorious militant group that often targets Shias. On January 10, a twin suicide attack in Quetta killed 92 Hazara Shias, the highest toll in a single attack on Shias, who make up 20 per cent of Pakistan's population of 180 million. Following the attack, the federal government imposed Governor's Rule in Balochistan province. Shia groups asked people to observe three days of mourning and called for a strike in Quetta tomorrow to protest the killing of members of the minority community. The blast rekindled memories of the twin blasts, including a suicide attack on Alamdar road in the city last month, in which 100 people were killed and about 130 injured. The Shia leaders had staged a four-day sit in on Alamdar road after that blast to demand security and protection for Shia Muslims in the Balochistan province. Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf had to go to Quetta and meet with the Shia leaders who only ended their sit-in after President Asif Zardari imposed governor's rule in the province. The Shia leaders at that time had demanded that Quetta and other parts of the province be handed over to the military. After today's blast the powerful Shia organisation, Wahdatul Muslimeen, announced a strike in Balochistan province tomorrow. After the blast enraged people took to the streets in many areas of the city and protested the blast, pelting vehicles with stones and blocking roads.