QUETTA:
At least 11 people, including two paramilitary soldiers, were martyred on Tuesday when a suicide bomb blast ripped through the Pishin Stop area near the Frontier Corps (FC) headquarters in Quetta, triggering a gunbattle in which security forces killed six terrorists, officials said.
The blast occurred as security forces launched an intelligence-based operation (IBO) against Fitna al-Hindustan in the Zehri area of the Khuzdar district, killing seven Indian-proxy terrorists and injuring at least 10 others, according to sources.
Security officials said the terrorists tried to storm the FC headquarters in the Balochistan capital. One of them detonated himself near a checkpoint. In the ensuing exchange of fire, security forces killed six terrorists and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition.
“The suicide bomber, riding in a Suzuki van, detonated the device, while [at least] five of his accomplices tried to enter the compound afterwards,” a senior local government official told AFP. “In the exchange of fire, all attackers were killed,” the official said.
“Their [security forces’] timely response averted a larger tragedy,” said another official. “A large cache of arms and ammunition was also recovered from the terrorists,” he added. Officials revealed that the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) confirmed that 30 to 40 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast.
CCTV images shared with media showed an open-backed van turning into the entrance of the FC headquarters before the explosion. Eyewitnesses described the blast as “so intense” that it was heard across the city, causing panic among residents as fire and smoke billowed from the site.
Rescue officials said a local passenger bus was among the targets, hit by the suicide bombing, leaving commuters and nearby pedestrians seriously wounded. Besides the 11 fatalities, nearly three-dozen others sustained injuries, according to Balochistan Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar.
Many of the injured were shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta, where several remain in critical condition, according to medics. Kakar said that an emergency had been declared in all hospitals across the city to ensure swift medical treatment for the injured.
The explosion caused significant damage to nearby buildings, shattering windows and doors. Security forces cordoned off the area soon after the incident and launched a thorough investigation. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Separately, according to sources, security forces carried out an operation following intelligence reports about growing terrorist activity by Fitna al-Hindustan in the Zehri area of Khuzdar. So far, seven terrorists have been killed and 10 others injured as a result of the operation, they said.
During the IBO, the sources continued, forces also defused an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by the terrorists on the main bridge of Badokasht. The forces also recovered ready-to-use IEDs, transmitters, American-made automatic weapons, grenades, ammunition, and motorcycles, they added.
The Indian-proxy terrorist attack in Quetta was widely condemned by the national leadership as well as international partners. President Asif Zardari, who is in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Acting President Yousuf Raza Gilani, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack.
In their separate messages, they emphasised that such cowardly attacks could not weaken the national resolve to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the country. They also praised the timely action by the security forces and killing the Indian-proxy terrorists.
President Zardari blamed the Indian-proxy Fitna al-Khawarij for the attack. “The growing frustration of anti-Pakistan forces is a reflection of their failure and inevitable downfall,” Zardari remarked, reaffirming the nation’s determination to thwart India-backed designs.
Acting President Gilani also denounced the bombing, calling it a “brutal and cowardly act” and a direct assault on the country’s peace. He warned that terrorists, facilitators, and “so-called Khawarij,” particularly those backed by India, would meet a humiliating end.
Prime Minister Shehbaz lauded the security forces for killing terrorists of Fitna al-Hindustan. “The government, security forces, and the entire nation are determined to eradicate terrorism and Fitna al-Hindustan from the country,” he asserted.
Condemning the incident, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti vowed justice for the victims. He said the people of Balochistan, alongside the government and security forces, stood united against terrorists who are targeting civilians on the directives of their ‘masters’.
The attack also drew sharp condemnation from the international community. The United States extended condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a swift recovery. “We stand in solidarity with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism,” the US statement read, pledging continued support for peace and stability in Balochistan and across the country.
The Russian Embassy also condemned the incident, urging the need to combat terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations.” In a statement, it expressed hope that those behind the attack would be identified and brought to justice, while conveying condolences and wishes for recovery to the injured.
(WITH INPUT FROM OUR ISLAMABAD CORRESPONDENT KHALID MEHMOOD & AGENCIES)
