The death toll continues to rise from an apparent suicide bombing today-Friday at a crowded Muslim shrine in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.
Authorities say at least 19 people were killed and scores of others wounded when the blast ripped through the Bari Imam shrine where hundreds of worshippers had gathered for an annual religious celebration. A VOA reporter and other
eyewitnesses describe the scene as one of horror with bodies scattered in the shrine.
The Bari Imam shrine is located about one kilometer from Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's official residence on the outskirts of Islamabad.
The motive for the attack was not immediately clear.
The attack was the latest incident of religious violence to rock Pakistan. In February, gunmen opened fire on mourners returning from a funeral near the shrine, sparking a firefight that killed several people.
Information for this report is provided by AFP and Reuters.
