Quetta blasts: Militant attacks kill 25 people
As many as 19 students were injured in the attack on a university bus while 4 attackers were killed at the BMC.
A paramilitary soldier takes up position outside the Bolan Medical Complex as a helicopter circles above. PHOTO: AFP
QUETTA:
Two blasts in Quetta and an attack by militants on the Bolan medical complex have killed at least 14 female students and the Deputy Commissioner along with four FC personnel.
A remote controlled bomb was detonated aboard a bus parked in the parking lot of Sardar Bahadur Khan University which killed 14 female students and injured as many as 19 other students.
When victims were shifted to the Bolan Medical Complex a second blast took place and as many as 14 terrorists stormed the hospice. They killed four FC personnel and the deputy commissioner who responded to the attack.
Security forces surrounded the hospice before commandoes stormed the complex and killed the attackers. At least four attackers were killed while one suspect was arrested.
The federal government, while dismissing talks of foreign hands, has said that they will fully support the provincial government and an inquiry committee will be setup to probe the matter.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that a joint committee will also be formed which will assess the damage to the Quaid-e-Azam residency in Ziarat that had been attacked early on Saturday. The committee will also draw up restoration plans.
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END OF LIVE UPDATES
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8:35pm
A high-level meeting chaired by the Interior Minister in Islamabad has decided to beef up security for institutions of national importance, Radio Pakistan reported.
In the wake of terror incidents in Ziarat and Quetta‚ Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Saturday chaired a high-level meeting in Islamabad and ordered a probe into the deadly attacks.
"We will conduct an open inquiry on how this happened. We need to maintain morale but at the same time learn from our mistakes."
The meeting also decided to further tighten security of all institutions of national importance.
The meeting was informed that work on rehabilitation of Quaid-i-Azam Residency‚ Ziarat would start as soon as possible.
The Interior Minister directed that stern action should be taken against terrorists and criminals.
Nisar told the media that the wooden structure and furniture of the residency have been burnt. The photographic museum is intact.
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7:55pm
Chaudhry Nisar confirms that 14 students have been killed and 19 others are injured. Four Frontier Corps personnel have been killed along with the deputy commissioner. Four terrorists have been killed and one suspect has been arrested.
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7:50pm
Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar is addressing the media in Islamabad. He says that the Quaid-e-Azam residency has its own set of security guards who are generally unarmed and have support from police to maintain security.
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7:45pm
CCPO Quetta has said that the BMC has been cleared and as many as nine attackers have been killed.
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7:35pm
According to BBC Urdu the militant group BLA has claimed responsibility for last night's attack on the Quaid-e-Azam residency in Ziarat and the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) has claimed responsibility for the bus bombings in Quetta today.
Information Rasheed says that those responsible for the attacks will be dealt accordingly. "Regardless of affiliation, we will try and arrest those who conducted the act."
He adds that the attacks are a continuation of violent acts in the province. "Today's attacks are a continuation of a series of attacks that have been continuing in the region."
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7:30pm
Federal minister for information Pervaiz Rasheed says that the attackers were locals. "If there is any evidence of foreign hands, they have to have some cooperation from hands within the country."
The minister says that the provincial government has the complete support of the federal government. "Today this happened, and the prime minister talked to the chief minister of Balochistan and in the coming days, we will be physically present there."
He suggested that this was an attack by local people and not foreigners. He urged these elements to stop hurting their brothers and sisters and to shirk the "politics of gun".
"Now Baloch nationalist parties have taken part in the elections. PML-N had a majority, but sensing the anger among the youth, but our leader Sanaullah Zehri, he sacrificed his seat of chief minister and give the nationalists a chance to lessen the anger of the youth. But even after this they continue this politics of the gun."
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7:00pm
Another blast has been heard from Bolan Medical Complex.
Sources have said that four militants and two security personnel have been killed during the operation so far.
There are reports that at least five more attackers are still present inside the building.
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6:30pm
Dr Sagheer Baloch, who is inside Bolan Medical Complex, said that he is not aware of how many terrorists are inside the building. He said that he was hiding inside a room with 10-15 people.
He also said that firing and helicopters were being heard.
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6:20pm
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
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6:12pm
Special security forces are still reported to be outside the Bolan Medical Complex building.
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5:45pm
A search operation has begun.
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5:40pm
Senior Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) leader Sanauallah Zehri has said that police and FC personnel are taking part in the operation.
The death toll from the bus blast has risen to 12, while 19 are reported to be injured.
At least six people were killed as a result of the blast and firing at Bolan Medical Complex.
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5:21
There is confirmation that three security personnel were killed as a result of the firing at Bolan Medical Complex.
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5:10pm
It is being reported that Deputy Commissioner Quetta Abdul Mansoor Kakar was shot as he was preparing to leave the hospital.
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5:00pm
Firing from the rooftop of Bolan Medical Complex has stopped.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has asked Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar to help the Balochistan Government in controlling the situation.
Sources inside the hospital have said that a number of armed men are present inside the building.
Preparations for an operation are currently underway. FC personnel have taken up positions on the rooftops of buildings surrounding the complex.
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4:50pm
Deputy Commissioner Quetta Abdul Mansoor Kakar has succumbed to his injuries.
Assistant Commissioner Anwar Ali and an additional SHO are reported to be severely injured.
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4:40pm
Special Forces have been called in for an operation to clear the hospital.
There is no confirmation on how many armed men are present inside the hospital.
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4:30pm
Emergency was declared at the hospital immediately after the blast.
FC and police personnel immediately surrounded the hospital after the incident took place.
There are reports that armed men on the roof of the hospital have opened fire. Security personnel are reported to be firing back.
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4:25pm
The second blast is reported to have taken place inside the emergency of Bolan Medical Complex.
Officials have given no information of the second blast.
Firing has been heard from around the area.
It has been reported that some members of the media have been injured as a result of the second blast.
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4:20pm
"It was an improvised explosive device placed in the women university bus" in Quetta, city police chief Zubair Mahmood told AFP.
"The dead were all women students," he said.
The bomb exploded after the girls students had boarded and the bus was leaving the university.
"We are investigating if it was a remote controled bomb, the police official said.
Another police official Fayyaz Sumbal added the bus caught fire after the explosion and many students were critically wounded.
Two blasts in Quetta and an attack by militants on the Bolan medical complex have killed at least 14 female students and the Deputy Commissioner along with four FC personnel.
A remote controlled bomb was detonated aboard a bus parked in the parking lot of Sardar Bahadur Khan University which killed 14 female students and injured as many as 19 other students.
When victims were shifted to the Bolan Medical Complex a second blast took place and as many as 14 terrorists stormed the hospice. They killed four FC personnel and the deputy commissioner who responded to the attack.
Security forces surrounded the hospice before commandoes stormed the complex and killed the attackers. At least four attackers were killed while one suspect was arrested.
The federal government, while dismissing talks of foreign hands, has said that they will fully support the provincial government and an inquiry committee will be setup to probe the matter.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that a joint committee will also be formed which will assess the damage to the Quaid-e-Azam residency in Ziarat that had been attacked early on Saturday. The committee will also draw up restoration plans.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
END OF LIVE UPDATES
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8:35pm
A high-level meeting chaired by the Interior Minister in Islamabad has decided to beef up security for institutions of national importance, Radio Pakistan reported.
In the wake of terror incidents in Ziarat and Quetta‚ Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Saturday chaired a high-level meeting in Islamabad and ordered a probe into the deadly attacks.
"We will conduct an open inquiry on how this happened. We need to maintain morale but at the same time learn from our mistakes."
The meeting also decided to further tighten security of all institutions of national importance.
The meeting was informed that work on rehabilitation of Quaid-i-Azam Residency‚ Ziarat would start as soon as possible.
The Interior Minister directed that stern action should be taken against terrorists and criminals.
Nisar told the media that the wooden structure and furniture of the residency have been burnt. The photographic museum is intact.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7:55pm
Chaudhry Nisar confirms that 14 students have been killed and 19 others are injured. Four Frontier Corps personnel have been killed along with the deputy commissioner. Four terrorists have been killed and one suspect has been arrested.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7:50pm
Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar is addressing the media in Islamabad. He says that the Quaid-e-Azam residency has its own set of security guards who are generally unarmed and have support from police to maintain security.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7:45pm
CCPO Quetta has said that the BMC has been cleared and as many as nine attackers have been killed.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7:35pm
According to BBC Urdu the militant group BLA has claimed responsibility for last night's attack on the Quaid-e-Azam residency in Ziarat and the banned militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) has claimed responsibility for the bus bombings in Quetta today.
Information Rasheed says that those responsible for the attacks will be dealt accordingly. "Regardless of affiliation, we will try and arrest those who conducted the act."
He adds that the attacks are a continuation of violent acts in the province. "Today's attacks are a continuation of a series of attacks that have been continuing in the region."
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7:30pm
Federal minister for information Pervaiz Rasheed says that the attackers were locals. "If there is any evidence of foreign hands, they have to have some cooperation from hands within the country."
The minister says that the provincial government has the complete support of the federal government. "Today this happened, and the prime minister talked to the chief minister of Balochistan and in the coming days, we will be physically present there."
He suggested that this was an attack by local people and not foreigners. He urged these elements to stop hurting their brothers and sisters and to shirk the "politics of gun".
"Now Baloch nationalist parties have taken part in the elections. PML-N had a majority, but sensing the anger among the youth, but our leader Sanaullah Zehri, he sacrificed his seat of chief minister and give the nationalists a chance to lessen the anger of the youth. But even after this they continue this politics of the gun."
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7:00pm
Another blast has been heard from Bolan Medical Complex.
Sources have said that four militants and two security personnel have been killed during the operation so far.
There are reports that at least five more attackers are still present inside the building.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6:30pm
Dr Sagheer Baloch, who is inside Bolan Medical Complex, said that he is not aware of how many terrorists are inside the building. He said that he was hiding inside a room with 10-15 people.
He also said that firing and helicopters were being heard.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6:20pm
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6:12pm
Special security forces are still reported to be outside the Bolan Medical Complex building.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5:45pm
A search operation has begun.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5:40pm
Senior Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) leader Sanauallah Zehri has said that police and FC personnel are taking part in the operation.
The death toll from the bus blast has risen to 12, while 19 are reported to be injured.
At least six people were killed as a result of the blast and firing at Bolan Medical Complex.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5:21
There is confirmation that three security personnel were killed as a result of the firing at Bolan Medical Complex.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5:10pm
It is being reported that Deputy Commissioner Quetta Abdul Mansoor Kakar was shot as he was preparing to leave the hospital.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5:00pm
Firing from the rooftop of Bolan Medical Complex has stopped.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has asked Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar to help the Balochistan Government in controlling the situation.
Sources inside the hospital have said that a number of armed men are present inside the building.
Preparations for an operation are currently underway. FC personnel have taken up positions on the rooftops of buildings surrounding the complex.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4:50pm
Deputy Commissioner Quetta Abdul Mansoor Kakar has succumbed to his injuries.
Assistant Commissioner Anwar Ali and an additional SHO are reported to be severely injured.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4:40pm
Special Forces have been called in for an operation to clear the hospital.
There is no confirmation on how many armed men are present inside the hospital.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4:30pm
Emergency was declared at the hospital immediately after the blast.
FC and police personnel immediately surrounded the hospital after the incident took place.
There are reports that armed men on the roof of the hospital have opened fire. Security personnel are reported to be firing back.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4:25pm
The second blast is reported to have taken place inside the emergency of Bolan Medical Complex.
Officials have given no information of the second blast.
Firing has been heard from around the area.
It has been reported that some members of the media have been injured as a result of the second blast.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4:20pm
"It was an improvised explosive device placed in the women university bus" in Quetta, city police chief Zubair Mahmood told AFP.
"The dead were all women students," he said.
The bomb exploded after the girls students had boarded and the bus was leaving the university.
"We are investigating if it was a remote controled bomb, the police official said.
Another police official Fayyaz Sumbal added the bus caught fire after the explosion and many students were critically wounded.