ISLAMABAD 

A suicide bomber blew himself up during weekly Friday prayers at a Shia mosque in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least 30 people and injuring over 50 others, authorities said.

The suicide bomber was stopped by police at a mosque in Peshawar's bustling Qissakhwani bazaar, but he forced his way into the mosque's main hall, said police superintendent Haroonur Rashid.

In a statement to the media, Mohammad Asim, a spokesman for the Lady Reading Hospital, where the blast victims were shifted, confirmed that 30 bodies were transported to the hospital.

He added that more than 50 others are receiving treatment at the hospital due to injuries, with over 10 in critical condition.

According to eyewitnesses, the suicide bomber was dressed in black local attire and when he approached the mosque's front gate, he started firing, killing one security guard on the spot and injuring two others.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack thus far. However, in the past, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, a conglomeration of terrorist groups, claimed responsibility for such attacks.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid