Police in Pakistan's southwestern city of Quetta have been on high alert as mass burials take place for some victims of a suicide bombing that targeted minority Shi'ites Friday, and killed at least 65 people.
Shi'ite leaders called for a general strike Saturday to mourn the dead, shuttering schools and businesses, and leaving streets deserted.
More than 160 others were wounded in Friday's explosion at a Shi'ite rally called to express solidarity with the Palestinians.
The Pakistani Taliban said it was responsible for the Quetta attack and for Wednesday's triple bombing that killed 35 people at a Shi'ite religious procession in the eastern city of Lahore.
A Pakistani Taliban leader said Friday he was proud the United States had added his group to the international terrorism blacklist on Wednesday. Qari Hussain Mehsud also threatened the United States and Europe with more attacks.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Friday the deadly attacks are proof that those behind the violence do not believe in any religion.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the attacks targeting Shi'ite Muslims as "unacceptable."
Shi'ite Muslims make up about 20 percent of the population in mostly-Sunni Muslim Pakistan.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
