Presidential Palace, Kabul - H.E. Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is deeply saddened by the news of a blast in a Shiite shrine in the village of Fatehpur, Baluchistan, Pakistan, resulting in the death of at least 27 people and many injuries.

"Perpetrating violence in a holy place is a crime against Islam", the President said in his reaction to the news. "On behalf of the Afghan people, I would like to present my sincere condolences to the families of the victims and I wish a prompt recovery to the injured".