At least six killed, dozens injured in Pakistan blast

ISLAMABAD - At least six people were killed and more than 30 wounded Friday by a blast near a mosque in Pakistan's Balochistan province, local media reported.

Dawn News attributed the casualty figures to the assistant commissioner of Mastung district, saying the explosion happened as people gathered for a procession marking the birthday of Prophet Mohammed.

The country's interior ministry confirmed a blast carried out by "terrorist elements".

"The attack on innocent people who came to participate in the procession of Eid Milad-ul-Nabi is a very heinous act," it said in a statement.

Balochistan's Minister for Information Jan Achakzai posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that the number of dead was rising.

While the celebration of the prophet's birthday is accepted by the majority of Islamic sects, certain denominations view it as an unwarranted innovation. - AFP