QUETTA: Five people were killed and 30 others injured in a bomb blast near a police station here on Tuesday.

The injured included women and children who were passing through the area when the bomb went off in the heart of the city. The condition of at least six of them was stated to be serious.

It was the second bomb explosion within the last seven days in the provincial capital. On July 23, a blast had occurred in the Eastern Bypass area which left four people dead and 32 injured.

“The target of the blast was a police vehicle parked near the police station,” Deputy Inspector General Abdul Razzaq Cheema said.

Police said unknown terrorists planted the bomb in a motorcycle, parked it close to the patrolling vehicle of the police station concerned and detonated it by remote control. Three people died on the spot and 32 were injured.

Soon after the blast, security forces rushed to the site along with rescue workers and shifted the injured to the Civil Hospital.

The Balochistan health minister declared emergency in all government hospitals after the blast.

“We have received four bodies and 32 injured,” Saleem Abro, Medical Superintendent of Civil Hospital, told Dawn. “Two injured later succumbed to their injuries,” he said.

Several cars and motorcycles were badly damaged in the powerful blast. Nearby buildings were also damaged due to the impact of the blast that was heard in a vast area.

Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) personnel collected evidence from the blast site. “The bomb was planted in a motorbike and detonated by remote control,” BDS officials said.

The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the blast.

Balochistan Governor retired Justice Amanullah Khan Yasinzai, Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan and his cabinet members strongly condemned the bomb blast and expressed their grief and sorrow over the loss of lives of innocent people.

The provincial cabinet, which was in session when the blast took place, vowed to bring terrorists and their facilitators to justice and said that such blasts could not weaken the determination of the government against terrorists and their masters.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2019