<p>A powerful bomb ripped through a mosque during Friday prayers in Pakistan's troubled Balochistan province, killing at least five persons and injuring 24 others, police said.</p>.<p>The blast occurred at the mosque in Kuchlak area, 25 kilometres from Quetta, on Friday.</p>.<p>"Five persons were killed and 24 others injured in the attack," Inspector General of Baluchistan Police Mohsin Hassan Butt said.</p>.<p>The blast was carried out with an improvised explosive device (IED) that contained around eight to 10 kilograms of explosives which was planted inside the mosque, he said.</p>.<p>"The head of the mosque is among five killed in the blast," he said.</p>.<p>A rescue operation is under way and security forces have also cordoned off the area.</p>.<p>Police said the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, while emergency has been declared at Civil Hospital Quetta.</p>.<p>Police have cordoned off the area and a bomb disposal squad has been requested.</p>.<p>There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Taliban militants and Baloch nationalist often carry out such attacks.</p>.<p>Television footages showed the blast caused extensive damage to the walls and ceiling of the seminary.</p>.<p>The blast in Kuchlak is the fourth in Balochistan in less than a month's time.</p>.<p>A week before, on July 30, five persons, including two policemen, died when a powerful bomb tore through a police patrol van at a busy roundabout in Quetta.</p>.<p>At least 32 people – including Additional SHO Shafaat Ali – were also wounded in the attack targeting the police vehicle parked outside the City Police Station at Bacha Khan Chowk.</p>.<p>Last week, a planted bomb in a market on Quetta’s Meezan chowk killed a Hazara man and injured 13 others.</p>
<p>A powerful bomb ripped through a mosque during Friday prayers in Pakistan's troubled Balochistan province, killing at least five persons and injuring 24 others, police said.</p>.<p>The blast occurred at the mosque in Kuchlak area, 25 kilometres from Quetta, on Friday.</p>.<p>"Five persons were killed and 24 others injured in the attack," Inspector General of Baluchistan Police Mohsin Hassan Butt said.</p>.<p>The blast was carried out with an improvised explosive device (IED) that contained around eight to 10 kilograms of explosives which was planted inside the mosque, he said.</p>.<p>"The head of the mosque is among five killed in the blast," he said.</p>.<p>A rescue operation is under way and security forces have also cordoned off the area.</p>.<p>Police said the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, while emergency has been declared at Civil Hospital Quetta.</p>.<p>Police have cordoned off the area and a bomb disposal squad has been requested.</p>.<p>There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Taliban militants and Baloch nationalist often carry out such attacks.</p>.<p>Television footages showed the blast caused extensive damage to the walls and ceiling of the seminary.</p>.<p>The blast in Kuchlak is the fourth in Balochistan in less than a month's time.</p>.<p>A week before, on July 30, five persons, including two policemen, died when a powerful bomb tore through a police patrol van at a busy roundabout in Quetta.</p>.<p>At least 32 people – including Additional SHO Shafaat Ali – were also wounded in the attack targeting the police vehicle parked outside the City Police Station at Bacha Khan Chowk.</p>.<p>Last week, a planted bomb in a market on Quetta’s Meezan chowk killed a Hazara man and injured 13 others.</p>