Lahore:
Three suicide bombers struck a famous Sufi shrine in Lahore, Pakistan, killing 30 people, including women and children, and injuring over 100 others.
While one attacker blew himself up at the crowded entrance to the Data Darbar shrine, the second exploded in the basement, where people perform ablutions before entering the complex.
The third bomber detonated his explosive vest in a part of the shrine adjoining a busy market, witnesses said.
Thirty people were killed and over 100 injured in the blasts, Fahim Jahanzeb, spokesman of a state-run rescue service, said.
District administration chief Sajjad Bhutta told reporters all three blasts were carried out by suicide bombers.
Several women and children were among the dead and injured in the blasts, officials said.
The explosions, which occurred within minutes of each other, created panic among thousands of worshippers, who ran helter-skelter.
The shrine attracts large crowds every Thursday night with people visiting the complex to offer special prayers.
Police cordoned off the area as rescue workers ferried the bodies and injured to nearby hospitals. Footage on television showed debris and blood strewn across the floor of the shrine.
Some shocked worshippers wept and consoled each other while others stood in the courtyard of the shrine and offered prayers.
The blast in the basement caused the most damage as the shock waves were intensified by the confined space. Officials said the heads and body parts of the suicide bombers had been found by the police and sent for forensic tests.
Each bomber's suicide vest was packed with over 10 kg of explosives and ball bearings, they said.
The explosion completely smashed the ceiling and ripped through a large number of people who were performing ablutions in the basement.
Data Darbar is the shrine of Syed Abul Hassan bin Usman bin Ali al-Hajweri, who is considered the patron saint of Lahore.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the Taliban have opposed the practice of people visiting the shrines of Sufi saints.