Suicide blast killed three in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD -- At least three people were killed and 13 others injured when a blast went off near a Shiite mosque in Rawalpindi, a sister city of Pakistan's capital Islamabad, on Tuesday night, according to local media.

District Police Officer of Rawalpindi Akhtar Laleka told media that a suicide bomber riding on a motorbike tried to enter a Shiite mosque located at Gracy Lane near the Rawalpindi airport at about 9:50 p.m. local time. When the police tried to stop him at the checkpoint the bomber blew himself up, he said.

One policeman was killed and nine others were injured in the blast, said local media, adding that the other victims were civilians.  

Several vehicles near the blast site were also damaged.  

All the blast victims have been shifted to District Headquarters Hospital and Benazir International Hospital.

Hospital sources said at least four of the injured people were still in critical condition.

Bomb disposal squad officers have reportedly found the head and parts of the body of the suicide bomber. They said an estimated 5 to 10 kg of explosives were used in the attack.

There were about 70 people attending a sermon inside the mosque when the blast took place, said local media.

Allama Hamid Mosoomi, a Shiite leader, strongly condemned the attack and criticized the government for failing to protect Shias, a minority group of Muslims in Pakistan.

Rescuers carry out relief work at the blast site in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Dec 17, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]