A suicide bomb blast at a police post in eastern Pakistan late Wednesday killed at least nine people and wounded more than 20 others.

The rare attack on the outskirts of the city of Lahore killed and wounded mostly security personnel.

The area deputy inspector general police, Haider Ashraf, told reporters a religious congregation of about 60,000 people was underway in the Raiwind area and the bomber on a motorbike intended to attack the worshipers.

Ashraf said security personnel at the police post intercepted and tried to stop the attacker when he detonated his suicide vest. Ashraf added that body parts of the bomber have been retrieved from the site and an investigation is under way.

The religious gathering was organized by an Islamic organization known as Tableeghi Jamaat, or party of preachers. Security is usually tight around the venue for the annual event.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the bombing near Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s most populous Punjab.

The religious party is an ultra-orthodox Islamic sect which preaches that Muslims should replicate the life of Prophet Muhammad and tells its followers they are duty-bound to travel across the world to preach about Islam.
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