BREAKING NEWS: Eight, including journalist, killed, 35 injured in Quetta suicide blast

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA: At least eight people, including a senior TV journalist, died and 35 sustained injuries in suicide bomb blast and firing at Quetta’s Civil Hospital on Friday morning, police said.

“ It was a suicide bomb blast with a sectarian nature,” said Qazi Abdul Wahid, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Investigations, saying that the blast took place after unknown people started firing from the roof of the hospital when a member of the Shia community, who had been killed earlier in the day outside a local bank in  a firing incident, had bee shifted.

“ We have recovered a head from the hospital but it is still not known if the head is that of the suicide bomber or that of one of the victims of the blast,” said the DIG.

According to initial reports, the eight people who have been killed include three policemen and one senior TV journalist. The journalist killed in the blat was identified as Malik Arif of Samma TV. Around three other journalists have also sustained injuries who have been taken to different hospitals for treatment.

Police said the matter was being investigated. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yosuaf Raza Gilani, Governor Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi, Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Mohammad Aslam Raisani have strongly condemned the blast and ordered an immediate inquiry into the matter.