An explosion on Quetta’s Airport Road left multiple people injured and has damaged nearby buildings, according to police reports.
The police have reported at least six people as having been injured as of the time of filing. Rescue officials of the Edhi Foundation said the blast occurred close to a moving FC vehicle.
Following the blast, the injured are being shifted to the city’s Civil Hospital where an emergency has been declared, police said, adding that the bomb disposal squad has been summoned to the site of the blast.
There have been reports that one of the injured individuals was Frontier Corps personnel.
A spokesperson for the Counter-Terrorism Department said that the nature of the blast was being determined.
However, Balochistan Home Minister Mir Zia Langove said a convoy of six Pakistan Army vehicles were passing on the road when the bomb — fitted in a motorcycle — detonated.
“Four to five kilograms of explosive material was used in the bomb. Five security officials were injured in the blast and were taken to Combined Military Hospital,” he told reporters.
“India is using Afghanistan’s land to conduct attacks in [Pakistan]. Peace in Balochistan will only come from peace in Afghanistan,” he added.
The area has been cordoned off and further investigations are ongoing, police said.
“We are investigating the nature of the blast,” Balochistan Deputy Inspector General of Police Muhammad Azhar Akram told Quetta Voice.
Eveywitnesses said the bomb went off near the Askari Park area of Quetta. The blast was heard far and wide in the city. Police and rescue workers reached the spot shift the injured of the blast to the hospital.
Fire also erupted in the nearby building in the aftermath of the blast. Bomb disposal squad and fire brigade also called to extinguish the roaring flames of fire. The blast also caused the suspension of the traffic on Airport Road.
Several people shared video footage of the damage caused by the explosion.
Footage of a burning car at Airport Road #Quetta after the blast was heard. pic.twitter.com/etVG5sMD1c
— Ejaz Ali (@EjazHz) July 1, 2021
Blast in #Quetta’s Airport road near DHA office pic.twitter.com/cm9Udlnmzy
— Bismillah jan (@khialay) July 1, 2021
Last month, four FC troops embraced martyrdom in a terrorist attack on Marget-Quetta Road.
According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations on June 14, the martyred troops were deployed on the security of Marget Mines. The suspected terrorists used an improvised explosive device in the attack.
The martyred troops are Junior Commissioned Officer of FC Balochistan, Subedar Sardar Ali Khan, a resident of Village Wanda Lungar Kel, Lakki Marwat; Sepoy Musaddaf Hussain, a resident of Chak-272 EB, Vehari; Sepoy Muhammad Anwar, a resident of Wanda Talgi, DI Khan and Sepoy Awais Khan, a resident of Village Bandal, District Neelum.
Such cowardly acts by inimical elements cannot sabotage the hard-earned peace and prosperity in Balochistan, the ISPR said, adding that security forces are determined to neutralise their nefarious designs even at the cost of blood and lives.
Moreover, five people got injured in an explosion on Qambrani Road in the provincial capital on May 24. This was the second explosion in Balochistan within that week.
Earlier on May 21, at least seven people, including three leaders of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Nazaryati, were killed and 14 others injured in an explosion in Chaman, Qila Abdullah district.
Furthermore, At least four people were killed and over a dozen injured in a powerful explosion in the parking lot of Serena Hotel in Quetta, Balochistan on April 21.
At the time, Balochistan Inspector General of Police Tahir Rai informed a local news outlet that the blast took place in the parking lot of the hotel and that the area had been cordoned off.
Serena Hotel is located on the Shahrah-e-Zarghun Road of the provincial capital.
Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan condemned the incident and sought a report from police officials. He stressed that no one would be allowed to disturb law and order in the province, adding that the “entire nation is united to eradicate the scourge of terrorism”.
The CM had therein directed the security forces to ensure foolproof security arrangements within the province and urged health authorities to give the best medical facilities to the injured.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had also condemned the incident and sought a report from the provincial chief secretary. He also expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the blast.
More to follow
