At least 30 people were killed at a funeral in Pakistan on Thursday after a suicide bomber detonated his explosives, The New York Times reports.
The funeral was being held in Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan Province, for a police officer that had been murdered earlier Thursday.
Muhib Ullah, a junior police officer, was on his way to the market with his four children when a group of unidentified men shot and killed him. His children survived but suffered injuries and the attackers escaped. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Later on Thursday, members of the police force in Quetta gathered for the memorial service in Police Lines, a neighborhood that houses many officers and police offices. Sometime during the funeral, the suicide bomber approached the scene and detonated his bombs.
The explosion tore through the service as attendees scrambled for cover. One of the deaths included Fayyaz Ahmed Sumbal, a deputy inspector in charge of field operations, who died at the hospital.
According to a Reuters reporter, police struggled to help each other.
"They are not Muslims. They are not humans," said Inspector General Mushtaq Sukhera. "We have no other option but to fight against terrorists. We have made sacrifices and we will continue to do so and we will not bow down."
Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad, provincial chief secretary, said that at least 62 were injured in addition to the 30 estimated fatalities.
Baluchistan has been experiencing violence over several issues regarding religious tension. Extremist Sunni militants have been attacking Hazaras, members of the Shiite sect. Additionally, Quetta is home to other sectarian groups and militants, including the Taliban.
As one of Pakistan's most militarized cities, many are concerned for the safety and security of the region, questioning the efficiency of security officials as violence escalates.
