A group of unidentified gunmen have opened fire at a public bus in the Pakistani city of Karachi killing at least 47 people and injuring 20 others.
Hospital sources have confirmed that 41 bodies have been brought in including 17 women and 25 men.
Members of the Ismaili community were travelling by the bus near the Safoora Chowk area when around eight gunmen fired at it. The attackers then fled the scene. About 60 people, including children were on the bus.
The motive of the attack is still unclear and no group has claimed responsibility.
“The gunmen stopped the bus and first fired at it from outside,” a policeman told AFP. “Then they entered inside the bus and open fire indiscriminately. After that they checked to see if anyone was left uninjured."
“The bus had a capacity of 52 passengers but it was overloaded and dozens of people were boarding it. Most of them were from (the) Ismaili community,” he added.
Some reports suggest that the gunmen may have entered the bus and then fired as video footage does not show bullet holes on the body of the bus. Police sources substantiate these reports and say the passengers were shot in the head.
According to The Express Tribune, 60 empty bullet shells of Kalashnikovs were found from the scene.
Hospital officials say that the death toll may increase as the condition of the injured is quite critical.
Journalists, news organisations and people on the ground in Pakistan have also been tweeting about the incident:
Death toll in Karachi bus shooting rises to 42 pic.twitter.com/E3fS1AcpWL
— Awais Jutt (@AwaisQarniJ) May 13, 2015 .@karthikavk Am in tears. Now 55 died, acc to some TV channels. Such barbarity!
— Raza Rumi (@Razarumi) May 13, 2015 Sad and tragic day for Pakistan -- biggest targeted attack ever on its Ismaili community and over 40 dead
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) May 13, 2015 Bus was on its regular route headed from Safoora Chowk towards Federal B Area of Karachi. http://t.co/3aigSP0nll pic.twitter.com/AMiMZxrIIG
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) May 13, 2015