Quetta Blasts: Four policemen were killed and 11 others injured in a blast near a police van on Monday in Quetta, Pakistan police officials confirmed. The blast occurred in the Mini Market area of the provincial capital, according to police officials.
Militants Bomb Train in Balochistan; 4 Killed, 8 Injured: Reports
Police and security forces immediately rushed to the site of the explosion and placed security cordons there. The injured persons were whisked to the hospital for medical attention.
Confirming the death toll, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Quetta Abdul Razzak Cheema said the explosives were installed in a motorbike. Cheema said the explosion targeted police personnel, adding that the crime scene had been secured and investigations were ongoing.
Medical Superintendent (MS) Civil Hospital Dr Saleem said 11 wounded persons were brought to the hospital, out of which two were in a dangerous condition. Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan condemned the blast and expressed over the loss of lives in its wake.
“Efforts are being made to sabotage peace under a wicked conspiracy,” he said in a statement. “Those creating instability would be fought back with full force.”
The chief minister vowed to improve security arrangements by reviewing them all together. He also directed concerned authorities to provide best medical facilities to the wounded persons. The blast in Quetta’s Mini Market area is the third incident of targeting of law enforcement personnel in the county.
On Saturday, terrorists stormed a five-star hotel in Gwadar. All three terrorists were killed by the security forces during the clearance operation.
Five people had embraced martyred, including four hotel employees and a Pakistan Navy soldier. Six individuals got injured including two Army captains, two Navy soldiers and two hotel employees, said the ISPR. The luxury hotel is located on the Koh-e-Batil Hill, south of West Bay on Fish Harbour Road and overlooks the Arabian Sea. Prior to that, at least a dozen people, including three police officials, were martyred in a suicide blast outside the Data Darbar shrine in Lahore. The blast had targeted an Elite Force police van stationed outside the shrine.
Quetta Blasts: Imran Khan Condemns
Prime Minister Imran Khan strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Quetta’s Mini Market area on Monday that left four police officers dead and 11 others injured. Khan sought a report on the blast that occurred near a police van and said the country was fully committed to completely eliminating terrorism.
Praying for the martyred police officers, the premier offered condolences to the bereaved families. He advised that the wounded people be provided with the best medical care and prayed for their speedy recovery.
The PM said those who target innocent people in the holy month of Ramazan did not have a religion. The nation’s spirit is strong and Pakistan is determined to do away with the menace of terrorism.
The Civil Hospital’s Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Saleem had said 11 wounded persons were brought to the hospital, of which two were in a precarious condition. Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan had also immediately condemned the blast and expressed over the loss of lives in its wake. “Efforts are being made to sabotage peace under a wicked conspiracy,” he had said in a statement. “Those creating instability would be fought back with full force.”
