93 killed, 56 injured as suicide blast hits hospital in SW Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - 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.