Daily Times

Four policemen were martyred and 11 others were injured in a blast near a police van on Monday, health officials said.

The incident occurred in the Mini Market area of the provincial capital. Police and security forces immediately rushed to the site of the explosion and cordoned off the area, while the nature of the blast was being ascertained. The injured persons were shifted to the Civil Hospital for medical attention.

Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Saleem confirmed that four policemen embraced martyrdom in the wake of the incident. He said 11 injured persons were brought to the hospital, of which two were fighting for their lives.

Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan condemned the blast and expressed sorrow over the loss of lives. “Efforts are being made to sabotage peace under a wicked conspiracy,” he said in a statement.

The blast in Quetta’s Mini Market area is the third incident of targeting of law enforcement personnel in the county. On Saturday, terrorists stormed a five-star hotel in Gwadar, killing five people, including a Pakistan Navy soldier. Prior to that, at least a dozen people, including three police officials, were martyred in a suicide blast outside Data Darbar in Lahore. Meanwhile, in an apparent incident of targeted killing, a traffic sergeant was martyred in Mastung. Sergeant Muhammad Hanif was targeted when he was performing duty on Stadium Road.