Daily Times

At least three people, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) local leader, were martyred and 13 others sustained injuries in a blast in Chaman area of Killa Abdullah district on Saturday.

According to police sources, unidentified men had attached a remote-controlled explosive device with a motorbike and parked it near Muslim Commercial Bank at Taj Road area, which went off. As a result, JUI-F leader Maulana Hanif, Abdul Hadi, and Izat Ullah died on the spot and 13 others received injuries.

Law enforcement agencies reached the site and rushed the bodies and the injured to a nearby hospital. The bodies were handed over to the heirs after completion of medico-legal formalities.

The injured were identified as Haroon, Fazal, Asghar Khan, Arif, Haji Gull, Mateeullah, Ahmadullah, Mehboob, Daroo Khan, Ubaidullah, Sher Jan and Abdullah. Police said Maulana Hanif was the target of the attack. The nearby buildings and shops were also affected by the blast. According to the Bomb Disposal Squad officials, four to give kilograms of explosives were used for targeting the JUI-F leader. Further investigation is underway. Prime Minister Imran Khan has strongly condemned the bomb blast which killed Maulana Hanif and others. The prime minister, who was about to leave New York for home on completion of his week-long visit, expressed grief over the loss of lives and sympathised with the bereaved families besides praying for courage to them to bear the loss with equanimity, a PM Office statement said. He also directed the authorities concerned to extend the best-possible medical facilities to those injured and also prayed for their early recovery.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Jam Kamal Khan has strongly condemned the incident and expressed his grief with the bereaved families and prayed for early recovery of the injured. He said such cowardly attacks cannot down morale of the citizens and the security forces. He directed the officials concerned to take all possible steps to arrest those involved in the blast to bring them to justice.

Interior Minister Ijaz Ahmed Shah also strongly condemned the blast and reiterated his government’s resolve to thwart any conspiracy impeding the development of Balochistan.

In a statement, the minister expressed heartfelt sorrow and condoled over the loss of the innocent lives and property in the blast. He prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed souls in eternal peace, grant courage to the bereaved families and early recovery to the injured.

He said the attack was an attempt to undermine the determination of law enforcement agencies and that the ongoing development in Chaman was haunting the anti-state elements. He said the elements involved in the terrorist attack would be taken to task as no one could be allowed to obstacle the journey of development in the country.