MULTAN: At least 10 people died when an explosion occurred near a packed rickshaw stand in Multan Sunday evening, DawnNews reported.

Rescue 1122 official Dr Kaleem confirmed that 10 people have died in the blast while 57 people have been injured. According to details, the explosion happened on Vehari road of Multan.

The injured are being treated in Nishtar Hospital Multan, where the condition of few is considered critical.

Multan CPO Azhar Akram, while talking to DawnNews, said that the explosion occurred due to a collision between a rickshaw and motorcycle.

“It seems that the bomb was fitted in the motorcycle,” said Akram.

He went on to say that police has also recovered ball bearings from the site of the blast.

The bomb disposal squad has been called to the site of explosion to find out the actual reason of the blast.

According to DCO Zahid Saleem Gondal a motorcyclist carrying explosive material collided with a rickshaw which resulted in the blast.

The DCO, however, added that forensic expert would inform further after the investigation.

Earlier it was reported that the explosion happened due to a blast in gas cylinder fitted in the rickshaw that was destroyed.

Police officials, however, had said that the explosion might not be of a gas cylinder blast as they were probing the actual cause of explosion.

Around seven to eight rickshaws were also damaged due to the explosion.

Police cordoned off the area after the blast while the injured were shifted to Nishtar hospital.

The area people shifted the dead and injured people to nearby hospitals where few are said to be in critical condition. Sound of explosion was heard in far off areas.

Multan lies in a region dotted with thousands of religious seminaries, with several belonging to local al-Qaida linked militant outfits.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed deep grief and sorrow over the Multan blast and emphasised upon rescue agencies to speed up the relief efforts.

He directed the concerned authorities to provide special medical care to the injured.