KARACHI: Several protests were staged in different parts of Karachi on Saturday over yesterday's blast inside a central imambargah in Sindh province's Shikarpur that left at least 60 people dead.

On the call of Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM), a large number of men, women and children staged a sit-in at the Numaish traffic intersection. Protesters said that terrorists are roaming freely and the government has failed to protect citizens' lives.

Protesters also staged sit-ins on Abul Hasan Ispahani Road, Five Start Chowrangi in North Nazimabad, Malir 15 on the National Highway and near Incholi on Shahrah-i-Pakistan.

The MWM, Shia Ulema Council and Jaffria Alliance had given the call for a ‘peaceful strike’ across the province against the second bomb attack on an Imambargah in recent times.

The Sindh government, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and traders’ alliance expressed ‘solidarity’ with the victim families, while the strike call attracted support of the Sunni Ittehad Coucil, Sunni Alliance, Pakistan Muslim League - Quaid and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek.

The Sindh government also announced a day of mourning in solidarity with the families of the victims and said the national flag would fly at half mast today. Compensation was also announced for the victims' families.

At least 60 people were killed and 60 others injured in an explosion inside a central imambargah in Sindh province's Shikarpur district on Friday. The cause of the blast has not been ascertained, but suspicions are that it may have been the result of a suicide attack.

Agencies reported that Jundullah, a splinter group of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which last year pledged support for the Islamic State group based in Syria and Iraq, had claimed responsibility.

Take a look: At least 60 killed in blast at Shikarpur imambargah