On Monday night, a blast in a market in Quetta’s Satellite Town claimed the lives of at least four policemen, and injured 11 others.
The explosion damaged a nearby police van as well. The injured — five of whom are policemen — are being shifted to the Civil Hospital, where an emergency has been imposed.
The area has been cordoned off by security officials.
The nature of the blast has not yet been ascertained and it is not clear if it was a targeted attack. PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif has condemned the blast in Quetta, saying that “by targeting Balochistan multiple times the enemy has made its intentions clear.” Sharif said “the surge in terrorism incidents is worrisome.” He paid tribute to the security officials for “risking their lives in defence of the country and its people”.
“The entire nation stands determined until the eradication of terrorism,” he added.
This marks the fourth act of violence in the country since the holy month of Ramazan began. On May 8, five policemen were martyred in a suicide bombing targeting an Elite Force van detailed to the security of the Data Darbar shrine in Lahore. Later the same day, three people, including a tribal leader named Wali Khan Achakzai, were killed in a blast in Killa Abdullah. Today’s blast comes two days after a terrorist attack on Pearl Continental Hotel, Gwadar in which three people were killed and four injured.