Daily Times

QUETTA: Additional Inspector General (AIG) Telecommunications Hamid Shakeel and two other police officials were martyred in a suicide attack on Thursday morning in Quetta, according to police.

The blast targeted the senior police official while he was on way to his office and passing near the Chaman Housing Scheme, police said.

At least seven other sustained injuries, including three passersby. The injured were shifted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Quetta for immediate treatment.

“Three individuals have embraced martyrdom including Hamid Shakeel and his driver,” provincial government spokesperson Anwar Ul Haq Kakar said.

Balochistan Inspector General of Police Moazzam Jah said three other police officials were seriously wounded.

SSP Operations Naseebullah confirmed that the explosion was a suicide blast.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi expressed condolences to the families of the martyred. He also lauded the efforts and sacrifices of policemen in eradicating terrorism and upholding peace and security in the country.

Abbasi further said cowardly acts such as these suicide attacks show how defeated the terrorist groups have become. “These acts will not shake our resolve,” he added further.

DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor also condemned the attack in a tweet. “Attack on Police in Qta condemned. COAS acknowledges contributions of Police/ LEAs for peace. Sacrifices like DIG Hamid shall not go waste.”

Balochistan Governor Muhammad Khan Achakzai and Chief Minister (CM) Sanaullah Zehri strongly condemned the attack.

Published in Daily Times, November 10^th 2017.