Screengrab of footage of the toppled police truck in Quetta
Three people—a policeman and two civilians—were killed on Wednesday morning, and 27 others injured, after a suicide bomber detonated himself next to a Balochistan Constabulary truck in Quetta’s Baleli area, with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claiming responsibility.
Speaking with media, Quetta Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Ghulam Azfar Mahesar said around 20 of the injured were policemen, while the remaining were civilians. Two of the injured cops, he said, were in critical condition. “The explosion took place near the police truck,” he confirmed, adding that the force of the blast had toppled the truck, causing it to fall into a nearby ravine. In addition to the truck, he said, two other vehicles had also been damaged.
“Looking at the crime scene, and given that the truck toppled, it is estimated that 25 kilograms of explosives were used,” he said, adding that the remains of the bomber had also been found in the debris. The truck, he explained, had been transporting police personnel deployed for the security of polio workers. To a question, he said the wounded had all been shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta.
In a statement to news agency AFP, he said the two slain civilians were a woman, who had succumbed to her injuries, and a child.
The banned TTP, in a statement, claimed responsibility for the attack. It claimed the attack was part of a “series” aimed at avenging the killing of their slain leader, Omar Khalid Khorasani, “who was killed during the ceasefire.” The bombing occurred just a day after the militant group had announced it was ending its ceasefire with the government and directed its fighters to carry out attacks across Pakistan “wherever they can.”
Condemnations
In a statement, Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo condemned the attack, and instructed authorities to provide the injured with the best possible treatment. He also vowed that such “cowardly acts” would not dampen the Balochistan government’s determination to establish peace. “All the elements involved in the incident will be brought under the grip of the law,” he emphasized.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack, and ordered an immediate probe. In a statement, he noted that polio workers were fulfilling their responsibilities without caring about their lives nationwide and paid tributes to their services. “Eliminating polio virus from the country is amongst the top priorities of the government and we will not rest until polio is completely eradicated,” he added.
Condemning the attack, President Arif Alvi prayed for the forgiveness of the deceased and recovery of the injured.