Two FC personnel, woman killed in Quetta blast

35 sustain injuries as car packed with explosives near main airport road goes off when FC convoy was passing by.

QUETTA: Two personnel of Frontier Corps (FC) and a passer-by woman were killed while 35 others, including four women, three children and 10 security personnel, sustained injuries in a remote-controlled explosion at Almo Chowk on Airport Road in Quetta on Monday.

According to the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS), around 40kg explosives were used in the blast that completely destroyed eight vehicles, while 10 vehicles were partially damaged. At least 18 nearby shops and two banks were also damaged.

“A car laden with explosives was parked besides the Airport Road at Almo Chowk. The explosives were detonated by a remote control when two vehicles of FC passed by the area,” Superintendent of Police Airport Road Circle told The Express Tribune.

He also confirmed the casualties and damages. “The target was security forces and passers-by. Five women and three children sustained multiple splinter wounds.”

The windowpanes of scores of houses, offices, commercial establishments and vehicle showrooms were smashed due to the impact of the blast. Explosion was heard five to six kilometers from the crime scene.

At least eight vehicles caught fire and people onboard received splinter wounds. Two vehicles of Frontier Corps were also damaged.

A heavy contingent of security forces, police and rescue workers reached the spot soon after the blast and cordoned off the area. The dead bodies and injured were taken to hospitals. A state of emergency was declared at Provincial Sundeman Hospital where civilians were brought for treatment while injured security men were shifted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) and FC headquarter hospital.

According to eyewitness accounts, a suspected car, parked on a footpath, was used for this attack. “I was in my pickup and behind the security forces’ vehicles. As they reached near the Almo Chowk, a powerful blast occurred,” one of the injured said.

Spokesperson of FC confirmed that two security men were killed and ten wounded in the blast. The deceased security men were identified as Waseem Abbas and Aziz.

The dead body of one FC official and 32 injured were brought to Provincial Sandeman Hospital for treatment.

“Five women and three children were among the injured. Two women are in a critical situation and had been referred to CMH,” doctors said. One of the injured woman succumbed to her injuries on her way to the hospital.