At least seven people have been killed and 40 others wounded after a suspected bombing at a funeral in northwestern Pakistan, police said. The blast on Friday targeted mourners in the town of Dera Ismail Khan who had gathered at the funeral of a local Shia Muslim. "We have seven people dead and 40 wounded," Ashiq Saleem, medical superintendent of city's main government hospital, said. The attack sparked an outbreak of shooting around the hospital where the dead and wounded were taken, and police fired tear gas in an attempt to restore order, according to journalists at the scene.
Saadullah Marwat, a local police officer, said it was not clear if the blast had been caused by a hidden explosive device, a grenade or a suicide bomber. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but there have been previous outbreaks of sectarian violence between Sunni and Shia Muslims in Dera Ismail Khan, part of North West Frontier province bordering the South Waziristan tribal region. Shias account for about 20% of Pakistan's 160 million-strong population.
