Sarfaraz Bugti survives bomb attack

QUETTA:

Balochistan’s Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti walked out alive on Friday when his convoy was hit by a roadside bombing in the Behker area of Dera Bugti.

The provincial minister was travelling to his native Dera Bugti in a 12-vehicle convoy on Friday. When they reached Behker, a bomb planted by the roadside was detonated using a remote.

“Two guards and a security official sustained minor injuries while the minister’s vehicle was also damaged,” the provincial government’s spokesperson Anwarul Haq Kakar told The Express Tribune.

He said the minister was safe after the vehicle he was travelling in narrowly escaped the blast.

“Because of the jammers in Sarfaraz Bugti’s vehicle, the bomb only damaged the rear end of his car.”

After the attack, officials from the Frontier Corps (FC) in Balochistan rushed to the spot and evacuated the injured to the PPL Hospital in Sui.

Meanwhile, Baloch Republican Army spokesperson Sarbaz Baloch claimed responsibility for the remote-controlled attack on Bugti on the Voice of America.

Three militants slain in Awaran

At least three suspected militants were killed in an exchange of fire with FC in Awaran area of Balochistan, on Friday.

According to sources, FC personnel were carrying out a search operation in Mashkay area of Awaran district when they traded fire with suspected militants, killing three of them. Security forces also recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition during the search.

Eight suspects arrested  in Bela

In a separate operation, eight people with alleged ties to a banned outfit were arrested in the Bela area of Lasbela district on Friday.



According to sources, FC officials along with some other security forces carried out a search a operation after receiving a tip-off about the presence of suspected militants in the area.

During the search, eight suspects were arrested after an exchange of fire. Arms and ammunition were also recovered.

Later, the suspects were shifted to an undisclosed location for further questioning.


Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2016.