QUETTA, June 29: A strike was observed in different parts of the city on Friday in protest against Thursday’s bomb attack on a bus carrying Shia pilgrims as death toll from the incident rose to 14.

A large number of people belonging to the Hazara community attended the funeral of those killed in the bomb explosion. Seven of the deceased were buried at a graveyard on Alamdar road and four in Hazara town.

The Hazara Democratic Party had called for the strike in protest the attack that took place in Hazarganji area leaving 13 people dead and 20 others injured.

An injured identified as Yawar Ali died in Combined Military Hospital on Friday, bringing the death toll to 14.

Shops and markets on Jinnah road, Sharea-i-Iqbal, Liaquat Bazaar, Circular road, Bacha Chowk, Sattar road, Mission road, Marriabad, Alamdar road, Toghi road, Gulistan road and Hazara town were shut.

However, traffic on roads plied as usual and government and private offices, banks and educational institutions remained open.

Demonstrations in protest against the killings were held in some other cities of the country.

AFP adds: Police raided various parts of the city and rounded up some 24 suspects, police sources said and added that they were being investigated for any clues in connection to the bombing.

The banned extremist group Lashkar-i-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for the killing in telephone calls to newspapers, saying the ‘suicide attack’ had been carried out by them.

But police said they could not still confirm whether it was indeed a suicide attack.

“We are investigating this aspect also, but cannot confirm now that it was a suicide bombing,” senior police official Amanullah Kakar said.