More than 25 people died in a bomb explosion at a funeral procession in north-western Pakistan, police say.

The suicide blast targeted the funeral of a Shia Muslim cleric who was gunned down on Thursday. There are fears the death toll could go higher.

The blast took place in Dera Ismail Khan, a town close to Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal area. The town has a history of sectarian violence between its Sunni and Shia Muslim communities.

A curfew has been imposed in the town, 270km (170 miles) south-west of the capital, Islamabad.
At least 60 people have been injured in the attack.
Shia mourners were making their way to a graveyard early on Friday morning when the bomber struck.

The funeral was of a prominent local Shia leader, Sher Zaman, who was shot dead in a busy market on Thursday by unidentified gunmen on a motorbike.

Blast witness Gulzar Hussain said that a man rushed into the centre of the funeral procession and there was a deafening explosion.

“All I could see after the blast were body parts lying in a pool of blood. Everyone around me was injured, crying and moaning. I saw injured children crying with pain. It was a scene from a slaughterhouse.”

Our correspondent says that with police resources stretched, the administration called in the army to deal with rioting by incensed locals.

Dera Ismail Khan has been the scene of a number of deadly attacks targeted at the local Shia population since 2007.

Our correspondent says security officials believe Pakistan’s most dangerous militant outfit, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is behind them.

They believe the organisation has been bolstered by help from the Taleban.

Two weeks ago 35 people died in a suspected suicide bomb attack against Shia worshippers in the town of Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab province.