Daily Times

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri alleged that the Indian intelligence agency RAW was behind terrorist attacks in Balochistan on Monday.

The statement came after a deadly bomb blast rocked Quetta in which at least 53 people were killed and at least 50 more were injured. CM Zehri claimed that as per the initial reports obtained after the incident, it appeared to be a suicide bomb blast.

He also said that the Indian intelligence agency RAW was involved in subversive and terrorist activities in Balochistan. “A war has been waged against terrorists in the province,” he said. “Militants have now started targeting those who are easy objects,” he added. He also announced a three-day mourning period in Balochistan over the deadly attack on the hospital.

Reuters news service quoted the provincial home minister Sarfaraz Bugti as saying that at least 50 people were killed, and more than that number were wounded, as the casualty toll spiked from initial estimates.

The bomber struck as more than 100 mourners, mostly lawyers and journalists, crowded into the emergency department to accompany the body of a prominent lawyer, who had been shot and killed in the city earlier in the day, Faridullah, a journalist who was among the wounded, told Reuters.

The provincial health minister Rehmat Saleh Baloch said, “There are many wounded, so the death toll could rise.” Private TV channels showed scenes where panicked people fled through debris amidst chaos as smoke filled the hospital corridors.

The motive behind the attack was unclear and no group had yet claimed responsibility, but several lawyers have been targeted during a recent spate of killings in Quetta.

Earlier on Monday morning, Balochistan Bar President Anwar Kasi was also shot dead in Quetta. His body was brought to the Civil Hospital Quetta, due to which a large number of lawyers had gathered at the hospital when the bomb went off. Hence, the majority of those among the dead happen to be lawyers.

The subsequent suicide attack appeared to target his mourners, a spokesman for the Baluchistan government Anwarul Haq Kakar said. He added that it seems that the attack was pre-planned.

Facts uncovered so far:

Bomb went off near external gate of Emergency Center at Civil Hospital

Kilograms explosive material and ball bearings used in the blast

Attack followed targeted killing of Balochistan Bar president

Zehri blamed RAW for blast tragedy, violence in Balochistan

Facebook issued safety check option following blast

Police cordoned off the hospital following the blast. Aside from a long-running separatist insurgency, and sectarian tensions, Baluchistan also suffers from rising crime. Quetta has also long been regarded as a base for the Afghan Taliban, whose leadership has regularly held meetings there in the past.

The police sources revealed that eight kilograms of explosive materials was used in the Civil Hospital bomb blast here that caused the death of more than 50 people and injured as many as 56.

Inspector General (IG) of Police Ahsan Mahboob visited the hospital along with Chief Secretary Saifullah Chatha to inspect the damage that had been inflicted. Speaking to media personnel, IG Ahsan said that the police were still carrying out investigation into the bomb blast attack.

He said, “I will be able to disclosed some information related to the bomb blast in an hour or an hour-and-a-half.” The police also revealed that explosive material was used along with ball bearings in the bomb blast attack.

Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif also arrived at the scene and inquired after the injured victims of the blast. The army chief also directed the authorities concerned to provide best medical care to the injured. “COAS visited Balochistan High Court and offered condolences to chief justice Balochistan and the panel of judges,” Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt-Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa tweeted.

“General Raheel visited Civil Hospital and expressed solidarity with the injured. Serious patients have been shifted to Combined Military Hospital,” he added.

President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif denounced the terror attack and directed for the provision of best treatment to those injured. They also prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss.

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani also strongly condemned the blast and deplored the loss of precious lives in the incident.

Social media website Facebook has issued the safety check option following the blast. The safety check option was activated for the users so that they could become aware about the welfare and safety of their near and dear ones in wake of the tragedy.