Dozens killed after eating poisonous sweets in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, April 25 (UPI) -- At least 24 people have been killed and dozens of others are ill after eating poisonous sweets in eastern Pakistan's Layyah district, officials said Monday.

Local police official Munir Ahmed added that 52 people were still being treated at various hospitals.

Umar Hayat, a resident of Layyah area, bought the baked confections on April 17 to distribute among friends and family after the birth of his grandson. The police official said the dead included the baby boy's father and seven of his uncles.

Rameez Bukhari, a senior police officer from the district, said three people — two brothers who run the bakery and a worker — had been arrested.

The worker may have inadvertently added pesticide to the sweet mix.

"There was a pesticide shop close by which was being renovated, and the owner had left his pesticides at the bakery for safe-keeping," Bukhari said.

"A baker may have used a small packet in the sweet mixture," he said, but added that police were awaiting for the results of laboratory testing.

Samaa TV reported 10 people were still being treated at Nishtar hospital of neighboring Multan district, where several of them were in critical condition.

The province's chief minister, Shahbaz Sharif, expressed sorrow over the deaths and ordered probe into the incident.