Footwear is seen near a pool of blood at the site of gun battle in Quetta August 9, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS
One person was killed in a firing incident that took place early morning on Sariyab Road.
"Two people were targeted. One of them died. One was injured," said an Express News correspondent.
Gunmen also killed at least 10 people and wounded many others after opening fire outside a mosque on the outskirts of Quetta, police said.
Senior local police official Bashir Ahmad Brohi said a former Pakistan Peoples Party provincial minister, Ali Madad Jatak, was also in the mosque and could have been the target.
"The majority of the injured faithful were coming from the mosque," said Brohi. "It was an armed attack on the former minister ... it was not an attack on the mosque."
However, Jatak escaped unhurt.
Another local police official, Sultan Ahmad, confirmed the incident and casualties outside the mosque, which is also a preaching and research centre.
"Following the firing, eight suspected militants were arrested and klashinkovs and other weapons were recovered from their possession," said Express News correspondent Shan Hussain.
Nobody has so far claimed responsibility for the shooting.
Commissioner Quetta while on his visit to review to security situation of the city today, said the city lacked personnel to secure every location.
Yesterday, a suicide bomber killed 30 people including Deputy Inspector General Operations (DIG) Fayyaz Sumbal and Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Shamsur Rehman at the funeral of a policeman in Quetta -- the third deadly attack on government targets in two weeks.
Most recent attacks in Quetta, the capital of oil- and gas-rich Baluchistan province bordering Afghanistan and Iran, have been linked to a Baloch separatist insurgency or sectarian violence.
The United States has warned citizens not to travel to Pakistan and has ordered the evacuation of non-essential staff from its consulate in the northeastern city of Lahore due to the threat of attack.
COMMENTS (43)
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In this day and age with Pakistan facing so many challenges there is no place for ethnic and religious violence. Advance shame on ruling elites because I know nothing will happen after this tragedy but hollow statements.Deep condolences to the families of those who died serving their country. This is not a concern for Pakistanis no matter how many innocent people are killed, Our concern is Palestinians, Burmese, and Kashmiris, and our biggest concern is Aafia Siddiqui. It’s time to make our intelligence agencies accountable for continuous failures.
@Shahzad: You have forgotten that the problems in Baluchistan and most of the country right now are due to almost a decade of Musharraf mismanagement. How do you expect anyone to fix all of Musharraf's mistakes in a few short months? Morover, look at any Muslim country from Syria, Somalia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt to Afghanistan. They have all had violence before Eid. This is due to instability. This violence needs to stop in all Muslim countries.
@Ali some times people like u make me sad? look at the size & population of India & u know what there was not a single sound of cracker during Eid celebration, that is what Pakistan should be: PEACEFUL.
The fact that a few security guards were so effective to avoid a major disastrous proves that all we need is a few committed security people. It is a shame that our highly paid fat cats repeatedly fail to avert these kinds of disasters. Perhaps we should hire these or retired agency people to guard us. By getting all their govt perks and salary from private sector they might do a good job which they are not doing right now.
@Ammar: Its so simple...If the neighbor's house is on fire...There is a good chance it can spread to yours if not doused properly...
Best example is your country,You cast a blind eye when extremism took over in ur neighbor Afghanistan.Now you are burdened with millions of refugees and rising terrorism from the Taliban
@Indian guy: do u want me to write about Indian ....
the above news item has mixed up many things if every is interlinked then enemy for sure is our friend.Its is bigger game.But we will fight it out,our reserves are still solid and intact.
@mengal: if mengals,bughtis,murreis,stop charging for their loyalties and dis loyalties and let government work everything will turn to peaceful Baluchistan.For your change in loyalties army step,it is army who is keeping Pakistan united.History of certain Sardars is well known they want all Baluch to be their slaves.
@Ammar: So, Would you favor a ban on Pakistani news websites in India? Sites like ET and dawn can also be seen as Pakistan's soft power projections into India.
Past is black full of follies/blunders. No one is exception except to some extent ZAB who introduced democracy and provided foolproof safety measures for protection of Pakistan. This is fact that Mullahism and Dictatorship shall never bring peace, prosperity and progress in this country. Only true democracy can help us to live like a respectable and peaceful nation. Unfortunately some of the world Powers who have vested interests have made achievement of true democracy a dream for us. Each time they invent new rigging methods and give us leadership of their choice which serve their interests instead of resolving issues of Pakistan. These all are their representatives Musharaf, Zardari, Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan, Altaf Hussain and Asfand Yar Wali were planted through rigged/arranged elections. Most of the time Judiciary also supported them. In the date of today our all problems stand solved subject to the following decisions by the sitting Govt. of Pakistan: 1) All the boarders to be sealed 2) Armed Forces to take position of war 3) The Chief of Army Staff be given 3 years extension 4) Chief Justice Pakistan be given 3 years extension 4) Construction of Kala Bagh Dam be started with immediate effect 5) 100 top rich families 70% and further 900 rich families 50% of their wealth to contribute in Govt. Exchequer. 6) All the foreign properties and accounts to be transferred in Pakistan
Islam is a religion of peace.
this is how we indian muslims different from pakistani muslims.
All pakistani newspapers comments section is dedicated to indians who hate muslims and they are trying their utmost to divide us.
@Ammar:
Ammar sahib,
The world you and I live in is a mere global village. In a village, every one knows every one else. Your sorrow in my sorrow.
Many Indians have relatives in Pakistan : and the other way around too.
The border may be an official dividing line. In spirit we are with you. We are interested in Pakistan >>>> whether you like it or not.
Try to be a bit broad minded, please. A change of heart would mean happiness to millions is South Asia.
@Hari Om:
Hari Sahib, you are right ! ; " ------Why not just live and let live? "
I would add : Why take religion so seriously ?
AND, if religion is indeed to be taken seriously , then why kill in the name of religion ?
Remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi in " The Story of My Experiment with TRUTH " who writes : " There are many causes for which I am prepared to die, but no causes for which I am prepared to KILL "
This is how Pakistan celebrate their festivals! What a country !
What interpretation of Islam are these carnivorous Talibans practicing? There is no unannounced and undeclared war in Islam and that too on unarmed innocent people. This isnt Islam. Mullahs are doing a disservice to Islam and Pakistanis by not issuing unambigous fatwa denouncing such heinous actions.
@Ammar - "WTH is problem u Indians whether we live or die…U mind ur own business…"
Well that's because you're our neighbour and we're worried that you would take us down with you. We wouldn't have cared less, had you been geographically distant somewhere in Africa
@ Ammar : This is cyber space and not the Islamic Republic of Pakistan that Indians can not visit. What is happening in Pakistan is as much our business as yours about Afghanistan or Palestine or Kashmir.
i, as a balochistani, hold mush, his instituition and civil beaurucracy respinsible for all the mess in the country
MUSHARAF IS A GREAT MAN.A LOT BETTER THAN NAWAZ AND ZARDARI,HIS EVERY ACTION WAS APPRECIATED,HE DID NOTHING WRONG.There is no place safe for shias in pakistan.
Why is it that so called "religious warriors" tend to bomb mosque and accelerate violence on religious holidays/festivals? Pretty clear that these religious zealots don't seem to honor the tenants of their own religion anymore than they respect the rights of others. Perhaps the question that the rest of the World ponders is why these fanatics have the apparent backing of a significant number of Pakistani's.
@Ammar:
This newspaper seems to be full of Indians…
So are the articles of this paper
Pakistan needs to concentrate and review its intelligence gathering capabilities. Who is behind these attacks? We want to know about the nexus emerging in afghanistan.
@ "@Shahzad"
I'm unsure if the ET moderation team will pass this comment, but I hope they do ;-)
All this mayhem is due to Mr Sharif, who dismissed the capable, intelligent and most suitable COAS at the time, General Jehangir Karamat, because of a personal disagreement. Then to replace Karamat, Mr Sharif disregarded the top two recommended (by the army) officers, Ali Kuli Khan and Khalid Nawaz Khan, both very capable officers, and instead picked the third choice, Pervez Musharraf. He did so, it is widely believed, because he thought that Mush, being a Muhajir, would have no constituency in the army and would be thus less likely to mount a coup against him.
How wrong he was.
Mr Sharif was however, right about Mush not having a constituency in the army. Mush compensated for this by selling his soul to the Americans, in order to get their backing. And when the US Presidents (Bush Jr & Clinton) asked him to strafe and bomb his own countrymen, who until then were no menace to the state, Mush did so with relish. The TTP was born as a direct result (an act of self-preservation), and the rest is history.
@ Ammar
Death is tragic brother.It's bothersome ,no matter which country it happens in. My condolences.
@Shahzad: My dear you are confusing the incident. This does not seem like BLA. It seems like Lashkar-e-jhangvi and TTP. But you are right, that Imran and Nawaz maintain an apologetic tone towards all the terrorists.
@Ammar: Seriously Ammar instead of lashing out at Indians how about we lash out at people who have brought our country down?
They dont care whether we live or die - we should care thought right?
@Shahzad, All this mayhem is due to Mush
Army should go back to the barracks like in other provinces. Peace will return to Great Balochistan insha Allah.
Its funny how everyone can so easily point fingers at Balochi terrorists, not recognizing them to be western agents. Now I know this statement of mine will make a lot of people shrug me off an a conspiracy believer, but just look at the state US has made Afghanistan into under the false pretense of cubing terrorism. Why can't people stop believing in the media, and start thinking from their minds? Allah gave minds for a reason and lets all become one and stop the western tyranny.
This newspaper seems to be full of Indians...
My silly Q...WTH is problem u Indians whether we live or die...U mind ur own business...
Pakistan today is case study for countries which want to be build by religion.Mr Jinnaha used muslims for his own political gains.Now religious fanatics are killing their own people with no reason. Our muslim brothers in India are celebrating Eid today peacefully and even hindu people (like me) are enjoying the feastival. Infact today morning I had delicious sweet prepared by my friend. Thats India!!!.
Fayyaz Sumbal was a great man, We'll Fight Against Terrorism Till Our Last Breathe, May Allah Bless All Shuhdah, Shahadat Zindabad, Pakistan Zindabad...
It continues to remain baffling to me both as a Non-Pakistani and Non-Muslim that Pakistan, a country claimed to have been founded to provide a safe haven for the Muslims of the Indian Sub-Continent, sees such high levels of violence pitting Muslim against Muslim that to with these acts of violence taking place during the month of Ramadan, on the religiously significant day of Friday which also happens to be the day on which Eid Al Fitr is celebrated. How can this be so? Why not just live and let live?
It continues to remain baffling to me both as a Non-Pakistani and Non-Muslim that Pakistan, a country claimed to have been founded to provide a safe haven for the Muslims of the Indian Sub-Continent, sees such high levels of violence pitting Muslim against Muslim that to with these acts of violence taking place during the month of Ramadan, on the religiously significant day of Friday which also happens to be the day on which Eid Al Fitr is celebrated. How can this be so? Why not just live and let live?
Eid Mubarak. :-)
Peace will.come to pakistan once they start respecting minorities like in the west.
a country, formed in the name of islam, for muslims(leave for minorities, its dead), by saying muslims are not safe in India, today muslims are not able to celebrate their holiest days!!! just compare this by taking two situations- before separation and today's pakistan.