Quetta blast: Suicide bomber attacks military personnel

• 15 martyred, 25 injured in explosion near Pishin Stop
• Terrorists aimed to lessen our passion to celebrate Pakistan’s independence: COAS

As many as 15 people, including military personnel and civilians, were martyred in a huge suicide explosion near Quetta’s Pishin Stop when terrorists attacked an on-duty military vehicle on Saturday night.

At least 25 people have also been reported as injured in the blast that set multiple cars on fire. Those who lost their lives also included at least 7 civilians. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the suicide attacker was on a motorcycle and around 20-25kg explosive was used in the attack.

The ISPR further said that incendiary explosives were used in the attack and that was the reason why nearby vehicles caught fire. Rescue services and security forces have reached the site and are conducting rescue activities. Fire fighters are trying to control the fire after the explosion.

Army troops have also reached the incident site and cordoned off the area. The injured were being shifted to CMH.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa condemned the terrorist attack and said that such terror-inducing attacks cannot shatter our hopes.

“The attack was aimed to lessen our passion to celebrate Pakistan’s independence,” the COAS said.

At the time of the blast, the Baluchistan Chief Minister Sardar Sanaullah Zehri was sitting on stage with Nawaz Sharif at Data Darbar during Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) GT road rally.

So far, a list of 12 injured, shifted to CMH, has been received. The injured were identified as Nk Shahzad, Lnk Qaiser, Spr Sadaqat, Lnk Masroor, Sep Abdullah, Sep Zia Ullah, Spr Riaz Iqbal, Spr Allah Dino, Spr M Shah, Spr Abbas Ali, Spr M Tanveer and Sep Aqib Ali. All injured on this list are said to be stable.

In recent months, Baluchistan has faced a number of security challenges, with security personnel in the province often being a target of roadside explosions.

Seven policemen were among the 14 people who lost their lives in a suicide blast that shook Shuhada Chowk in Quetta’s Gulistan Road area in June. 19 others were injured during this attack. Earlier, three security officials were injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) seemingly targeted their vehicle in the Johan area of Kalat in June.

Days later, two navy sailors were martyred and at least three others were wounded when their vehicle was attacked in the Jiwani area of Gwadar district. In May, at least 10 labourers were killed in Gwadar district when unidentified attackers opened fire at the construction site where they were working.

Earlier in the day, the Balochistan Police had issued a threat alert warning six terrorists have entered Pakistan after getting training from Afghanistan.