Bomb blast rocks Quetta: Two killed, Fifteen injured

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA: Two persons were killed and 15 others, including women and children, were injured in a deadly bomb blast on Monday at Airport Road of Quetta.

Shia Ulema Council claimed that the main target was renowned Shiite scholar Allama Najfi who was traveling in his car on Airport Road when blast occurred and he remained unhurt.

Official sources said unknown persons planted explosive device in an auto rickshaw which was parked at the main intersection of the Airport Road. It exploded with a huge blast on Airport Road near the regional office of National Highway Authority (NHA). The rickshaw, a Suzuki and other passing vehicles carrying families damaged in the blast.

Two persons, including driver and passenger died on the spot and 15 others, including three women and seven children who were traveling on a Suzuki, received splinter wounds. The bodies of slain and the injured were taken to government Sandman Hospital Quetta. Hospital sources said women and children received injuries on their faces and other parts of bodies. Most of the dead and injured were passersby on the sensitive Airport Road connecting Quetta with Northern Balochistan, police sources confirmed.

Police and Frontier Corps rushed to the site soon after the incident and cordoned off the area protecting necessary evidence at the crime scene.

The deceased were identified as Abdul Hamid, Rickshaw driver, and a passerby Naseebullah. The others injured were identified as Malik Dad, Zarka, Zaghia, Zohara, Kaliq, Naseebullah, Abdul Rehman, Mohammad Musa, Sayed Yaqoob, Khudaydad and admitted at hospital. Three injured children stated to be in critical conditions, hospital sources said.

Bomb Disposal Squad said around 15 kilogram explosive material was used in blast.

In a statement issued here soon after the blast in which Balochistan Shia Ullema Council’s spokesman said the main target of blast was prominent Shia religious scholar Allama Ghulam Mehdi Najafi who was traveling in his car on the same road when blast occurred. However he remained unhurt in the attack. “Najfi dropped another Shiite religious scholar Allama Sajid Nakwee in Quetta Airport and was retuning home,” he addesd.

While talking to media, Superintendent Police of Saddar, Dr Furrukh confirmed and said there was information that the vehicle of Shiite scholar was passing through the area when blast occurred.

Earlier on the day, an explosive device along with a detonator had been found at Excise and Taxation Office in Quetta. It was removed immediately by the Bomb Disposal Squad.

Talking to this correspondent, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations, Hamid Shakil, said unknown persons had planted an explosive device in a packet and kept it near wash room. It was a half kilogram heavy explosive device, he added.

He said detonator was not fitted with explosive device, thus it had not exploded. The explosive materials were planted at two locations within the premises of the Provincial Excise and Taxation office he said adding that investigation is underway.

Presumably, the unidentified accused persons merely wanted to create a scare by planting the devices.

Police and security forces immediately cordoned off the entire area and isolated the office building for security reasons with a massive search of the premises.