Bombing near Pakistan's revered Sufi shrine kills 8

A bombing near one of Pakistan's most revered Sufi Islam shrines on Wednesday killed at least eight people and injured dozens more, officials said.

The attack occurred at one of the entrances to Data Darbar shrine in the eastern city of Lahore, local police chief Arif Nawaz Khan said. At least 24 people were wounded in the bombing, which took place near a patrol vehicle for police commandos, and at least five police officers were among the dead, Khan added.

It was not immediately known whether it was a suicide bombing or if a device went off, provincial health minister Mian Aslam Iqbal said.

Most of the injured people were in a critical condition, Iqbal said, who added that the death toll might rise. Thousands of devotees visit the Data Darbar shrine every day and security is always on high alert.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, but Islamist militants linked to Islamic State and the Pakistani Taliban have both targeted Sufi shrines in the past.    (dpa)