Pakistan hospital attack 'particularly appalling', says Ban Ki-moon

United Nations, Aug 9: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday condemned the terrorist attack at a hospital in Pakistan's southwestern Quetta city, calling the attack "particularly appalling", the attack killed 70 people, mostly lawyers.

Over 100 others were injured when a suicide bomber detonated himself inside the emergency ward of the Civil Hospital.

The blast took place when a large number of lawyers were gathered to collect the body of a murdered colleague, the president of Balochistan Bar Association Bilal Anwar Kasi, who was killed in a separate attack.

"The targeting of mourners at a civilian hospital makes the attack particularly appalling," UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told a daily briefing.

"The Secretary-General urges the Government to do its utmost to ensure safety of the population and bring to justice the perpetrators of today's attack," Haq added.

The Pakistani Taliban faction Jamat-ul-Arhar has claimed responsibility for the attack.

IANS