UN chief condemns bomb attack in Pakistan

UNITED NATIONS (Xinhua) - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Friday condemned the bomb attack on a Shiite mosque in Pakistan, which has reportedly killed at least 54 people.

"The Secretary-General is appalled by such vicious targeting of people on account of their religious affiliation," said a statement issued by Ban's spokesperson.

Ban also called upon the authorities to redouble their efforts to protect religious and ethnic minorities in Pakistan and to combat terrorism in all its forms, said the statement.

A suicide bomber on Friday ripped through a mosque of Shiite Muslims in Pakistan's south Shikarpur district, Sindh Province, killing at least 54 people and injuring 50 others.

Reports said a teenage suicide bomber blew up himself in the mosque where around 400 people were offering prayers.

According to bomb disposal squad, at least 5 kilograms of explosives along ball bearings were used in the bomb and it was detonated with a remote-controlled device.