Tall claims fall flat as 72 more succumb to terror

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Px08-084 QUETTA: Aug08 - A view of carnage at a site of bomb blast which killed 70 people and injured more than 100 at Civil Hospital Quetta following the killing of president Balochistan Bar Association Bilal Anwar Kasi on Monday. ONLINE PHOTO by Ahmad Kakar
  • Carnage in Quetta as suspected Taliban suicide bomber attacks civil hospital’s emergency ward; Most of the dead include lawyers who had gathered there after lawyer leader’s killing earlier in the day
  • Balochistan CM says RAW is responsible, as TTP faction claims responsibility for deadly attack

Death toll of Quetta suicide bomb blast has risen to 72 after two injured including a lawyer and a 14-year-old boy succumbed to their injuries at Quetta Combined Military Hospital.

A suspected Taliban suicide bomber targeted the emergency services ward at Quetta’s Civil Hospital Monday, killing more than 72 people, mostly lawyers, and leaving over 100 others injured.

Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA), a splinter group of the banned terror outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has claimed responsibility for the bombing which occurred at the gate of the building housing the emergency ward.

The explosion took place when lawyers had gathered outside the emergency ward of the hospital where the body of the president of Balochistan Bar Council, Bilal Anwar Kasi had been brought for autopsy.

Bilal Kasi was earlier shot dead by unknown gunmen on Mannu Jan Road, Quetta, when he was on his way from his home to Balochistan High Court.

“The blast took place after a number of lawyers and some journalists had gathered at the hospital following the death of the president of the Balochistan Bar Association in a separate shooting incident this morning,” said Balochistan Home Secretary Akbar Harifal.

The bomber struck as more than 100 mourners, mostly lawyers and journalists, crowded into the emergency department to accompany the body of the lawyer, Bilal Anwar Kasi and journalist, Faridullah, who was among the wounded.

Police said that unknown men also opened fire after the blast. Panic tore through the hospital after the incident.

Security forces surrounded the area and emergency was declared at the hospitals of the city and leaves of doctors and paramedics were cancelled.

Condemning the attack, Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri claimed that Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghan intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) were behind terror incidents in Quetta.

The CM shared this statement with the media before initial investigation into the blast was completed, and before the nature of the blast was confirmed.

Abdul Rehman, the director at the Civil Hospital, said the bombing killed 70 people, mostly lawyers. He said they were also treating 92 wounded in the explosion.

According to senior police official Zahoor Ahmed Afridi, several lawyers including the former president of Balochistan Bar Association Baz Mohammad Kakar were also killed in the attack.

Journalists present at the premises also came in the line of fire and a cameraman for Dawn News, Mahmood Khan, who was severely wounded in the explosion, later passed away. Shehzad Khan, a cameraman associated with Aaj TV, was also killed in the attack.

An emergency was declared in hospitals across Quetta and several injured were shifted to other hospitals for treatment.

Following the blast in Quetta, Inspector General Police AD Khawaja issued a high security alert across Sindh.

Official said about 7 to 8 kg of explosives with ball bearings was used in the blast by the suicide bomber.

This is not the first time that terrorists have used a two-tier terror attack to maximise casualties. In the past, terrorists have used one bombing to create panic while the other targets the rescuers.

In June 2013, at least 25 people were killed when militants blew up a bus carrying women students and attacked then the emergency of the hospital treating the survivors. The first of those attacks, which also happened in Quetta, killed 14 women students, while 90 minutes later, another 11 people died in the second bombing at the Bolan Medical Complex, where the injured of the first blast had been taken for treatment.

CONDEMNATIONS:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the blast in Quetta and expressed his “deep grief and anguish over the loss of precious human lives” in the attack.

Arriving in Quetta after cancelling all his official engagements, PM Nawaz deplored the loss of precious lives in the incident and directed the authorities concerned to maintain utmost vigilance and beef up security for the legal fraternity and members of civil society.

Nawaz Sharif said no one will be allowed to disturb peace in the province that has been restored due to countless sacrifices of security forces, police and the people of Balochistan. The PM also visited the civil hospital to enquire after those injured in the attack.

QUETTA: PM Nawaz Sharif along with COAS General Raheel Sharif, Governor and CM Balochistan and NSA inquiring about the health of people injured in the suicide blast at the Civil Hospital. INP PHOTO by Adnan Ahmed

Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif dashed to Quetta and went to the civil hospital and enquired about the health of the injured. He directed the shifting of seriously injured to Combined Military Hospital.

Later the COAS visited the Balochistan High Court and during a meeting with the chief justice and other judges, expressed solidarity with the lawyers. He expressed grief over the loss of so many lives of lawyers and other citizens.

Balochistan Chief Minister Zehri said it will have to be seen who the facilitators and financiers of the terrorists are. He said they are enemies of the country and the security forces are standing like a rock to eliminate them. He said RAW is behind the blast and that the enemies of the country will be followed and arrested.

The chief minister also announced three-day mourning in the province.

Commander of Southern Command Lt General Aamir Riaz also visited the Civil Hospital and met the injured persons. He also consoled the relatives of the dead and injured and assured them that the culprits will not go unpunished.

Strongly condemning the suicide blast, Balochistan Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti vowed that those responsible for the attack will be brought to justice.

Bugti said the Balochistan government is in pain and sorrow over the incident. He condemned targeting of lawyers and others at the Civil Hospital. He said this is a security lapse and action will be taken against whoever is found responsible for lack of security measures.

He further said that notice has been taken about the absence of security at lawyers’ protest while emergency has been imposed at all the hospitals in Quetta.

Sarfraz Bugti said it was a pre-planned strike by terrorists as the explosion took place when the body of Bilal Anwar Kasi was brought to the Civil Hospital and a large number of lawyers and media personnel were present outside the emergency department. The blast destroyed the emergency and casualty departments. He said the government will protect the lives of the people.

Pakistani lawyers and local media personnel carry a bed to move the body of a news cameraman after a bomb explosion at a government hospital premises in Quetta on August 8, 2016. At least 35 people were killed and dozens more wounded after a blast at a major hospital in the Pakistani city of Quetta, an AFP reporter and officials said, with fears the toll could rise. / AFP PHOTO / BANARAS KHAN
Lawyers and local media personnel carry a bed to move the body of a news cameraman after a bomb explosion at a government hospital premises in Quetta on Monday.

 

The injured were then shifted to Combined Military Hospital, Bolan Medical Hospital and private hospitals.

Talking to media, the spokesman of Balochistan government Anwarul Haq Kakar said that emergency has been declared in all hospitals of the city. He said that all medical facilities are being provided to those injured in the incident.

The spokesman said that the terrorists are resorting to such acts to make their presence felt by the people.

However, he said the government is determined to go to any limit to root out terrorism.

The president and the prime minister directed for provision of the best treatment to those who are injured in the attack. They prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari, speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan have also condemned the attack.

Leaders from a cross section of people have condemned the bloodshed in Quetta. They include former chief minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, Federal Minister Mir Hasil Bizenjo and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Former president Zardari also offered his deepest condolences to the bereaved families, prayed for eternal peace to those who lost their lives and speedy recovery of those injured.

Supreme Court Bar Association President Ali Zafar while condemning the blast said there is no doubt that lawyers were target of the terrorists. He insisted for a strategy to protect the lawyers across the country in general and Quetta in particular. He said the governments have failed to provide security to the people.

 

 

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