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Updated 17 Feb, 2017 03:39pm

Bloodbath at Qalandar's shrine: when pain and prayer collided

Reuters | AFP

The current wave of terrorism sweeping the country took a turn for the worse on Thursday when a suspected woman suicide attacker set off explosives at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, leaving at least 80 devotees dead, including children, and over 250 injured.

Images of the shrine showed blood smeared on the white floor, with debris and shoes scattered around.

At 3:30am the shrine's caretaker stood among the carnage and defiantly rang its bell, a daily ritual that he vowed to continue, telling AFP he will "not bow down to terrorists".

Slippers of devotees lie on the floor as soldiers cordon off shrine of 13th century Muslim Sufi Saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar following the blast. ─AFP

Pakistani para-military soldiers stand alert at the shrine of 13th century Muslim Sufi Saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, after a bomb blew up in the town of Sehwan.─AFP

Pakistani security officials inspect the blood-stained floor a day after a bomb attack hit the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine in Sehwan. ─AFP

Pakistani devotees react as they gather outside the closed gate of the shrine of 13th century Muslim Sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar a day after a bomb blast. ─AFP

Slippers and a baby feeder of blast victims lie on the ground at the 13th century Muslim Sufi shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. — AFP

Pakistani security personnel deployed outside the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar shrine. —AFP

Pakistani security personnel stand guard at the 13th century Muslim Sufi shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar a day after a bomb attack.─AFP

Women devotees gather outside a closed entrance of a hall to get in to search for their belongings at the shrine post the blast.─Reuters

A doll lies on the ground of in the premises of the 13th century Muslim Sufi shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar following the attack. ─AFP

A Pakistani mother mourns along with others over the coffin of her 13-year-old blast victim Zeeshan during his funeral in the town of Sehwan.─AFP

Security personnel stand guard at the shrine following the blast. ─AFP

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