A visual of the car bomb explosion that killed 10 people and injured more than 30 in Pakistan’s Balochistan province has emerged on social media. It tore through a crowded street near the Frontier Constabulary (FC) headquarters in Quetta, the provincial capital.
As per PTI, While confirming the attack, Balochistan Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar stated, “Ten people have been killed while 32 were injured in the blast." The injured were taken to the city’s numerous hospitals, where an emergency was announced.
Health Secretary Mujeebur Rehman mentioned, “An emergency has been declared at the Quetta Civil Hospital, Balochistan Medical College (BMC) Hospital Quetta, and the Trauma Centre."
Pakistan's Quetta blast ‘a terrorist attack’
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti condemned the incident and described it as “terrorist attack.” He stated, “We strongly condemn the Quetta blast. Security forces took timely and effective action, sending the terrorists to their doom. The cowardly actions of terrorists cannot dampen the nation’s resolve."
“The sacrifices of the martyrs will not go in vain, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to making Balochistan peaceful and secure. I express heartfelt sympathy with the families of the martyrs and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Bugti added.
Residents said that the explosion in Quetta, a city in southwestern Pakistan, was powerful enough to be heard from several miles away. Mohammad Usman, a local resident living close to the paramilitary headquarters, described the impact, saying the blast rattled the whole neighborhood. “The windowpanes of my house shattered, and part of the building was damaged, but thanks to God we are all safe,” AP quoted him as saying. He also mentioned hearing gunfire after the explosion.
Balochistan, which shares borders with Iran and Afghanistan, has been the center of a long-standing violent insurgency. As per a report by PTI, Armed Baloch separatist groups often launch attacks against security forces, government infrastructure, and the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in this resource-rich province known for its oil and minerals.
(With inputs from agencies)
