QUETTA: At least four security men were martyred and 19 injured when a suicide bomber rammed his motorbike into a vehicle of the security forces on Mastung Road near Quetta on Sunday morning.
Seventeen of the 19 injured were members of the security forces (FC) whereas two others were civilians.
Outlawed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) has claimed responsibility of the suicide attack.
Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) said that it was a suicide attack in which 5kg explosive material was used. Emergency has been imposed in all the hospitals of Quetta. The suicide attack happened near Sona Khan Checkpost on Mastung Road and the security forces have cordoned off the blast site, not letting anyone in.
Police and Rescue teams have also reached the spot and have started to collect evidence from the blast site. They took into custody the severed head and other body parts of the suicide bomber.
DIG Quetta Azhar Akram said at least 20 people were injured but their number may rise.
Eight of the injured people were shifted to Shaikh Zayed Hospital for treatment where doctors described their condition as very serious.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) suicide attack on Frontier Constabulary (FC) check post and extended condolences to the families of the martyrs.
Imran Khan in a tweet posted on his social media handle expressed his condolences with the families of the martyrs and prayed for the recovery of the injured.
The Prime Minister saluted the country’s security forces and their sacrifices to keep the masses safe by thwarting foreign-backed terrorists’ designs.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has pointed out that the number of terrorist attacks in Balochistan, specially Quetta, has seen an alarming uptick this year. “This is an attempt to put pressure on Pakistan,” he said. “Whoever is doing this should know it won’t affect the country and its spirits.”
Governor Balochistan Syed Zahoor Ahmed Agha and Home Minister Balochistan Ziaullah Langu also strongly condemned the blast and sought report into the tragic incident.
In their separate condemnation statements, they said terrorists would not succeed in their nefarious plans.
