Pak shrine blast toll hits 18

ISLAMABAD, Oct 06 (Al Jazeera): A suicide bomber has blown himself up at the entrance of a Sufi shrine in Pakistan, killing at least 18 people and wounding 25 others, local officials have told Al Jazeera.

The attack happened on Thursday at the Fateh Pur Shrine compound in Jhal Magsi district in central Balochistan province.

"The suicide attacker was intercepted at the shrine's main entrance," said Muhammad Iqbal, a local police official.

"He attempted to barge inside the main shrine," Iqbal added. "Police guards opened fire, and some steps away from the gate [the attacker] detonated his explosive."

This same shrine, built to honour Sufi saint Pir Rakhel Shah, was also attacked on March 19, 2005, in one of the first such attacks in Pakistan. At least 35 people were killed in that suicide attack.

Dr Rukhsana Magsi, medical superintendent at the DHQ hospital in Jhal Magsi, said later on Thursday that they had received 18 bodies. Of the 25 wounded, 20 suffered serious injuries and were being transported to other hospitals.