QUETTA:
The Khorasan chapter of the ultra-extremist Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s suicide bombing at a political rally in a provincial capital that officials said killed 17 people and injured many more. The Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) made the claim through its propaganda arm.
The suicide bomber detonated the charge during the rally of Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) at Quetta’s Shahwani Stadium. The case was registered at Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station on Wednesday. Police sources confirmed that charges of murder, attempted murder, terrorism, use of explosives, and other serious offenses have been invoked in the FIR.
This was the second attack targeting BNP chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal. The first assassination attempt was made a few months ago in the Lak Pass area of Mastung district when the Baloch politician was leading a sit-in demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners, particularly members of the Baloch Yekjehti Committee.
The BNP has reacted strongly to the latest bombing, vowing to continue its struggle for the political and democratic rights of the people despite such acts of violence. “We will not bow because of such cowardly attacks,” Mengal told party members on Wednesday.
Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti strongly condemned the attack, terming it a cowardly attempt to destabilise the province. Presiding over a high-level meeting on law and order, he directed security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice and assured the victims’ families that they would not be left alone in their grief.
Bugti said his administration was committed to restoring peace and strengthening security measures, while also instructing health officials to ensure the best medical care for the injured. He added that the critically wounded patients should be shifted to Karachi via air ambulance, if required.
Additional Chief Secretary Hamza Shafqat announced a compensation of Rs1.5 million for the heirs of each deceased and Rs200,000 for every injured person on behalf of the chief minister.
He stated that security threats already existed in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan, and the administration had repeatedly urged the BNP-M to postpone its public gathering due to intelligence warnings. However, the party did not comply with the advice and decided to stage the event irrespective.
Authorities confirmed that security had been tightened across Quetta and other sensitive districts after the blast, while investigators are collecting evidence to track those responsible. Political parties, including BNP-M, PkMAP, and National Party, condemned the attack and announced three days of mourning to honour the 17 political workers who lost their lives in the bombing.
(With additional input from AFP)
