Security forces arrest 29 suspects in Quetta raids

Multiple neighborhoods of city searched in connection with yesterday's hand grenade attack on shops

QUETTA: Security forces on Friday arrested 29 suspects from Killi Kirani and Ethiad Colony, Quetta in connection with yesterday's attack that killed four people and wounded a dozen others.

The security personnel conducted search operations in different neighborhoods of the city for the second consecutive day and have so far detained 70 suspects for questioning.

The suspects arrested from Killi Kirani and Ethiad colony today were taken to Brewery police station for interrogation.

“The suspects are being questioned about the hand grenade attacks on barber shop and photographer’s studio,” an official said.

Earlier, the law enforcing agencies had launched search operation in Saryab, Nawa Killi, Pashtunabad, Killi Geo, Khiljiabad and other areas of the Quetta. “Several suspects have been arrested for questioning; a pistol and shotgun was also seized during the operation in Saryab,” a police official said, adding that a few suspects were released after initial investigation.

Security in Quetta has been beefed up after the attacks with police and Frontier Corps (FC) increasingly patrolling sensitive areas to maintain law and order.

Nationalist Balochistan National Party (BNP) condemned the search operations in Quetta and said residences of innocent people were raided. “BNP’s activists are being arrested. Our people were killed in targeted killings and our activists are being harassed,” BNP Information Secretary, Agha Hassan, said during a news conference at Quetta Press Club.