“At least 26 civilians were wounded and three of them are in critical condition in the bicycle bombing on Prince Road,” Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Quetta Abdul Razzaq Cheema told The Express Tribune.
An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) weighing five kilograms was fitted on a bicycle before being parked outside a hotel, the CCPO added.
The blast caused a fire to erupt in six shops and fire tenders had to be called in to extinguish the blaze.
“Approximately, five kilograms of explosives were used in the explosion,” an official of Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) told The Express Tribune, adding that “nut, bolts and steel nails were used to cause maximse the damages and casualties.”
Following the blast, rescue workers, police and security forces reached the crime scene and cordoned off the area.
PHOTO: NASEEM JAMES/EXPRESS
The injured were transported to Provincial Sandeman Hospital.
According to medics at the hospital, “At least 26 injured were brought here after the blast. Two of them are about eight to nine years old.”
Talking to The Express Tribune, an injured said he was on his motorbike and passing by the area when huge blast occurred and black thick smoke covered the area. “I fell down on the floor and later found myself in hospital,” said Shahid Iqbal, an injured at Sandeman Hospital.
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@Raj - USA: 56 killed in Assam, Tripura, Bodoland. Worry about India.
This happened while the President arrived in Quetta. The terrorist dared the govt ? catch me if u can ?
Inna Lillahe WA Inna Ilaihe Rajeoon. Ameen. What was the mistake committed by these people??? Nothing! They were as usual going about their daily routine. However, the terrorist thinks otherwise. Now the CCPO will be asked to submit a full report in 72 hours, which, by Pakistani SOP, will never be made public. Salams
@Parvez: To start with, an "All Party Conference" should be convened that would come up with the "Collective Wisdom" of awam.
We immediately should form a COMMITTEE that will form a working committee to confirm if this was a terrorist attack.....and then recommend to the first committee what steps should be taken, so the the main committee can advise the PM.......so that he can decide if steps should be taken against terrorists. This shouls have a time frame of 10 days because in that time there surely will be another bomb blast......and a need for a fresh committee. ET this comment has been made in dead earnest.