Pakistan Shrine Bomb Kills 52

An explosion at a remote Sufi Muslim shrine in the Pakistani region of Balochistan has killed 52 people and injured more than 100, officials say. Emergency services struggled to reach the Shah Noorani Shrine in Kuzdar. Worshippers were performing dhamal—a trance-like dance—when the bomb hit. The self-styled Islamic State terrorist group says one of its suicide bombers carried it out. Sufism, a tolerant, mystical practice of Islam, has millions of followers in Pakistan but is opposed by extremists, BBC reported. Officials say the bomb blast took place while hundreds of worshippers were present at the shrine. Because the shrine is in rough, hilly terrain, rescue efforts are difficult. A renowned charity, the Edhi Foundation, says it has sent 50 ambulances which are now carrying people to hospitals in Karachi, 100 km away, but officials say they need helicopters to save more lives. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack and called for speedy rescue efforts. Imran Khan, former cricketer and head of Tehreek-e-Insaf party, said the attack had targeted the “core of our society”.