Quetta violence: Seminary blown up as bomb explodes accidentally

DIG says three people who were making bomb were wounded in the incident .

QUETTA:

Explosive material went off inside a religious seminary at Eastern Bypass, on the edge of Quetta valley, on Sunday. Three people were wounded in the explosion, according to eyewitnesses.

The injured were shifted by their companions to an unknown location before police reached the spot. Four rooms of the seminary and a house nearby were destroyed in the blast.

“Police found explosive materials in the debris. A remote control device, acid, aluminum powder, batteries, cells, wires and other materials used in bomb-making,” said Deputy Inspector General Police (Operations) Mohammed Jaffar, adding that the injured were preparing an explosive device, which went off by accident.



“Investigations are ongoing. The police have searched all hospitals in Quetta for the injured – but so far, to no avail,” another police officer Bashir Barahvi said. However, it was immediately not confirmed where the men wanted to plant the IEDs and what was their target.

Quoting local residents, DIG Jaffar said children were taught the Holy Quran at this seminary. “People in the area say it was a religious school and an Afghan national lived there. It is not registered with the Balochistan government. However, the police found some religious literature from the debris,” he added.

Quetta is vulnerable to sectarian and militant attacks and recently two bombings killed more than a dozen people and injured over 50 others. “Terrorists chose Quetta because they want to seek national attention,” a senior police officer said. “Religious extremist groups and Baloch insurgents are always looking for an opportunity to launch an attack,” he added.

When asked about the security plan to prevent such attacks, Home Secretary Asad Gilani said there was an intelligence sharing between the police and secret agencies on a daily basis. “The police have foiled many terror bids, though they have not been highlighted,” he said.

Following the US drone strike that killed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Hakimullah Mehsud, security has been beefed up in sensitive areas of Quetta, including cantonment, Chief Minister House and provincial secretariat.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th,2013.