ATC judge Nazeer Langove was unhurt in the attack. However, his two security guards were among the injured. Four police personnel were also wounded in the attack.
“The apparent target was ATC-I Quetta judge. A teenage boy was killed and over 31 wounded,” Capital City Police officer Quetta Abdul Razzaq Cheema told Express Tribune. The dead boy was a vender and identified as Itizaz.
According to Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS), around 50 kilogrammes of explosive materials were used in the explosion. “The IED was fitted to a car parked beside the road. The car gutted in the blast,” an official of BDS said.
Police have said that the explosive laden car was parked near the spare parts shops on Double Road. It was detonated through a remote control when the convoy of ATC judge passed by the area at 9:00am this morning.
The explosion shook the area damaging more than ten vehicles parked on the road. The vehicle of ATC judge was also partially damaged. Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Shalkot PS Shafqat Janjua was also passing by the area and sustained minor injuries.
The blast was heard as far as a radius of 3 kilometres from the site of the blast.
An eleven-year-old boy was passing by the area sustained serious injuries as a result of the blast.
Majority of the victims were passersby and shopkeepers. and two of the injured are said to be in critical condition.
“As I dropped my kids to school, I heard a huge explosion and rushed to the site. The injured were lying in the pool of blood. Many were critically wounded,” said a rescue worker who transported two injured police personnel to the hospital.
Windowpanes of several buildings and shops shattered due to the impact of the blast.
Heavy contingents of police and security forces reached the scene and cordoned off the area. The dead bodies and injured were transported to the Provincial Sandeman Hospital where state of emergency had already been declared.
“A dead body of 11-year-old boy and 32 injured were brought here,” medics at Provincial Sandeman Hospital told Express Tribune.
Investigators suspect the car was either stolen or a non-custom paid car.
The blast was heard as far as a radius of 3 kilometres from the site of the blast.
Quetta police have probed an investigation into the incident.
Over the past few months, Quetta has been witnessing the worst law and order situation. Three major terror attacks took place on one day alone on October 23rd.
JUI-F Chief Maulna Fazalur Rehman survived a suicide attack, nine people of Hazara community were killed in a targeted attack while three people were killed in a roadside explosion. More than 40 people were wounded on that single day.
The frequent incidents of terrorism have terrified the people of Quetta and left locals feeling unsettled.
COMMENTS (2)
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It is even more important now that the terrorists waiting on death roll be hanged in public squares. If these people know beyond the shadow of a doubt that they will be hanged if caught rather than be treated like heroes in jails there will be a drastic reduction in such heinous events. The only language that these people understand can be spoken through the barrel of a gun. There is no point reasoning with them as all such efforts will result in nothing but an exercise in futility.
These VIPs should be moved out of the cities. They are causing us more harm than good. Or give them helis and ask them to move during night only.