AT LEAST 52 people have died and another 70 injured as a suspected suicide bomber blew himself up among a crowd of people celebrating the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday in south-west Pakistan today.

It was one of the country’s deadliest attacks on civilians in months and has left many of the wounded in a critical condition which could lead to the death toll rising further.

No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Mastung, a district of Baluchistan province. But suspicion is likely to fall on the militant Islamic State group’s regional affiliate, which has claimed previous deadly bombings around Pakistan. 

Isis carried out an attack days earlier in the same area after one of its commanders was killed there.

Today, about 500 people had gathered for a procession from the mosque to celebrate the birth of the prophet, a festival known as Mawlid an-Nabi. 

Similar events were held in communities across Pakistan, often including parades of children in traditional garb. The blast went off before the Mastung procession was to begin.

Today’s bombing came days after authorities asked police to remain on maximum alert, saying that militants could target rallies for Mawlid an-Nabi.

Also today, a blast ripped through a mosque located on the premises of a police station in Hangu, a district in the north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing at least five people and wounding seven, said Shah Raz Khan, a local police officer.

Mr Khan said that two suicide bombers approached the mud-brick mosque and while guards shot and killed one, the other managed to reach the mosque and set off his explosives. 

No-one has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Mastung and Hangu.

The Pakistani Taliban is suspected of carrying out this year’s deadliest bombing.

More than 100 people were killed on January 30 when a mosque inside a high-security compound housing Peshawar police headquarters was attacked.