Two terrorist strikes targeted Shia religious gatherings in southern port city of Karachi and Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir today, injuring nearly 25 people.
A suicide attacker detonated his explosives when police guards prevented him from entering the Pir Alam Shah Bukhari 'imambargah' or Shia prayer hall in PoK capital Muzaffarabad, officials said.
At least nine persons were injured in the blast. The imambargah is located in a high-security area near a military hospital.
The injured were taken to the hospital. Witnesses said scores of people were present in the imambargah, one of the largest Shia prayer halls in Muzaffarabad, for a gathering organised to mark the Islamic month of Muharram.
In Karachi, 16 people were injured when a bomb went off ne ar a Shia procession in Qasba More area. Police described the blast as a low intensity explosion.
Ambulances rushed the injured to a nearby hospital. Police and paramilitary Pakistan Rangers cordoned off the area.
Karachi police chief Waseem Ahmed said the nature of the blast was yet to be determined. Both attacks occurred almost simultaneously shortly before 7 pm.