UN deplores Quetta, Lahore attacks

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday strongly condemned the terrorist bombings which struck the Pakistani cities of Lahore and Quetta this week and claimed the lives of dozens of civilians and wounded scores more.

At least 42 people have reportedly died and nearly 80 others have been wounded in the suicide bombing that took place on Friday at a Shiite Muslim rally in Quetta, the capital of the south-western province of Balochistan.

The bombing followed an attack on a Shiite procession in Lahore on Wednesday that killed dozens.

?These attacks, which deliberately targeted Shiite Muslims and killed or injured scores of civilians, are unacceptable,? Ban?s spokesperson said in a statement.

The Secretary-General extended his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Pakistan.

According to media reports, the Pakistani Taliban said it carried out the attacks in revenge for the killing of a Sunni Muslim leader last year.

Pakistan has been beset by deadly bombings and sectarian attacks this year, and in May three independent United Nations human rights experts issued a warning about the safety of religious minorities in the South Asian nation.

In July, more than 40 people were killed and dozens more injured during an attack on a shrine in Lahore which is holy to Sufi Muslims.