UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on Pakistan to step up efforts to protect religious minorities and combat terrorism.<br /><br /> He condemned the bombing of a Shi’ite mosque in Pakistan’s city of Shikarpur which killed at least 61 people gathered for Friday prayers.<br /><br /> Parts of the mosque collapsed following the blast burying some of the injured under rubble.<br /><br /> A mass funeral has taken place for victims of the attack.<br /><br /> Pakistan, which has a Sunni majority, has a long history of attacks against its Shi’ite minority.<br /><br /> People from Shi’ite communities across the country have held protests calling on the Pakistani army to step up their fight against violence from extremists.<br /><br /> The bloodshed has raised fears that extremists could be gaining a foothold in the region.
