DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Feb 5: Seven people, including a policeman, were injured on Sunday when an explosive device went off during a Muharram procession in the town of Tank. The condition of two persons was stated to be critical.

The procession was taken out from Mohallah Phool Shah and was heading for Mohallah Thala Musliyan when the device exploded.

Provincial police chief Riffat Pasha told Dawn in Peshawar that according to a preliminary report the blast had occurred in a nearby graveyard when the procession was passing near it. The sound of the blast triggered a stampede as the processionists ran about in different directions, according to Mr Pasha.

The IGP said the police had not found any shrapnel near the site and could not determine the nature of the explosive device.

The injured men were identified as Tassaduq Hussain, Nazar Hussain, Shafqat Hussain, Shahbaz Hussain, Imtiaz Hussain and Khadim Hussain.