Karachi (PTI): At least 16 people, including many children, were killed and 14 others injured when a suspected gas leakage led to an explosion in a residential building in Pakistan's Karachi on Thursday morning.

“The explosion took place around 4:30 am on the first floor of the building located in the Old Soldier Bazar area when everyone was awake for Sehri time,” police official Jamshed Asher said.

The first day of Ramzan is being observed in Pakistan today.

The police official said that the reason for the explosion apparently was a gas leakage.

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Due to gas shortage in Pakistan’s biggest city, many families especially in lower income residential areas use liquid petroleum gas cylinders at their homes.

Police surgeon Dr Samaiya Syed confirmed that they have received 14 bodies so far from the blast site while 14 injured are under treatment.

The explosion caused a part of the building structure to collapse due to its dilapidated condition.

“We are still searching through the rubble and debris to see if there are any more bodies or survivors,” Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan said.

The deceased include at least nine children aged between two and 17 while the injured also include seven children.

This is the second major tragedy to occur in Karachi. Last month, a fire broke out in the basement of the Gul Shopping Plaza, a wholesale and retail market, in the Saddar area killing at least 79 people and leaving scores injured.

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Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka School Education Department has issued a circular strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs in educational and cultural programmes.

It stated that such dances would negatively impact students' mental health and moral values. It will create indiscipline and harm the sanctity of education.

"All the Deputy Directors (Administration) of the state's School Education Department have been asked to take strict measures to prevent children or students from dancing to obscene songs in all government, aided and unaided schools in the state," the office of the commissioner of the School Education Department said in a recent circular.

"If it is found that children are being made to dance to obscene songs, appropriate action will be taken against the headmaster or management of such school," it added.

The department also listed certain measures in this regard, which include: strictly prohibiting children from being made to dance to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes; selecting songs that are inspiring, positive, instilling national pride in children and reflecting the greatness, dignity, values, culture, and morality of the state.

Stating that the school headmaster and management are responsible for selecting songs and dances for cultural programmes, it said, they should also ensure that students wear decent clothes in dance or cultural programmes.