Suicide bomber detonated explosives outside a hospital in Pakistan killing more than 50. Warning: Graphic PHOTOS

A powerful blast has killed at least 53 people in the southwester Pakistani city of Quetta as mourners were targeted by a suicide bomber. The attack took place shortly after the body of a prominent lawyer, who was shot dead just hours beforehand, was brought to the hospital, said senior police official Zahoor Ahmed Afridi.

A crowd of nearly 100 including many solicitors had gathered at the hospital at about 12.05pm after the lawyer, Bilal Kasi, was gunned down on his way to court earlier in the day.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, which struck at the gates of the building housing the emergency ward on the hospital grounds. Earlier, police had mistakenly said the bomb struck the hospital's main gate.

Sanaullah Zehri, the chief minister in the Baluchistan province, said it seemed to be a suicide attack, but police were still investigating.Sarfraz Bugti, the provincial interior minister, denounced the attack as an 'act of terrorism', and detectives are still trying to ascertain whether or not the two attacks are linked.

A Pakistani news channel reported that one of its cameramen was also killed in the blast.

It was also unknown who was behind the killing of Bilal Kasi.

Local TV stations broadcast footage showing people running in panic around the hospital grounds. 

Afridi said most of the dead were lawyers who had gathered after Kasi's body was brought to the hospital.

Police have confirmed the remains of the attacker have been found at the scene.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the blast in Quetta and expressed his 'deep grief and anguish over the loss of precious human lives' in the attack, in which several senior lawyers were also killed.

'No one will be allowed to disturb the peace in the province that has been restored thanks to the countless sacrifices by the security forces, police and the people of Baluchistan,' he said in a statement. 

Sharif asked the local authorities to maintain utmost vigilance and beef up security in Quetta.

He also instructed health officials to provide the best treatment possible to those wounded in the attack.

Baluchistan has long been hit by insurgency. 

There are several ethnic Baluch separatist groups operating in the resource-rich province, but al-Qaeda and other militant groups also have a presence there.

Daily Mail