QUETTA – A suicide bomber killed at least 11 people, including a cameraman of private TV channel and police officials, in an attack outside the emergency ward of Quetta Civil Hospital on Friday while about 35 persons including PPP MNA Agha Nasir and several journalists sustained injuries in the incident.
The main target of the suicide attack was the PPP legislator and the people belonging to Hazara community who had arrived at the hospital after the target killing of Arshad Zaidi, son of President Balochistan Shia Conference.
According to details, unidentified motorcyclists armed with sophisticated weapons shot dead Bank Manager Arshad Zaidi on Shahra-e-Iqbal on Friday morning. He was shifted to Civil Hospital Quetta where he succumbed to his injuries.
As the news of ZaidiÂ’s murder spread, a large number of people belonging to Hazara community started reaching the hospital. PPP MNA Agha Nasir also reached the hospital and was present outside the emergency ward along with a large number of people when a suicide bomber blew himself up. As a result, eight people including two DSPs, identified as Zahir Shah Kazmi and Ghulam Muhammad, officials of FIA and Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF), and a senior TV cameraman Malik Arif died on the spot.
About 35 people including six media persons of private channels identified as Malik Sohail, Khalil Ahmed, Noor Elahi Bugti, Salman Ashraf, Naseer Kakar and Farid sustained injuries. The media persons were in the hospital to cover the protest of people against killing of Arshad Zaidi. Heavy firing was also heard in the area after the blast. “Soon after the huge blast, there followed a heavy firing that caused panic in the hospital. I saw people running helter-skelter to save their lives”, an eyewitness told The Nation.
An emergency was declared in the Civil Hospital and majority of the injured were later shifted to Bolan Medical Complex Hospital and CMH for further treatment because emergency ward of hospital and other nearby wards were damaged due to the severe blast.
DIG (Investigations) Qazi Abdul Wahid said it was a suicide bomb blast of sectarian nature. He said that after blast unknown people started firing from the roof of the hospital. “We have recovered head of the alleged bomber,” the DIG said.
The blast rocked the city and shattered windowpanes of the hospital, nearby buildings, vehicles and caused fear among the patients in the hospital.
Khalil Ahmed, reporter of a private TV channel who also got injured in the blast told The Nation that as PPP MNA Agha Nasir reached the hospital, a young boy aged between 18 to 19, having a small beard and looking like an Afghani detonated explosives strapped on his body. “I fell on the ground after splinters hit my body,” he added. Heavy contingents of Frontier Constabulary and other law enforcement agencies reached the spot after the blast and cordoned off the area. The security in the city was put on high alert and heavy contingent of police and FC personnel were deployed outside Imam Bargahs and mosques to avoid further incidents. Hundreds of people hailing from Hazara community blocked Jinnah Road and other roads leading to Civil Hospital Quetta by burning tyres to protest incident of target-killing and suicide blasts. Shopkeepers closed their shops and business activities shortly after the incident.
Balochistan Shia Conference has strongly condemned the killing of Arshad Zaidi and suicide blast in Civil Hospital and announced 10 days mourning over both the incidents. Official sources said that around 14 kg explosives were used in the suicide blast.
Banned religious outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has claimed the responsibility for the suicide blast and killing of Arshad Zaidi.
Strongly condemning the incident, Balochistan Union of Journalists has announced three-day mourning over the killing of Malik Arif and other people. Malik Arif had been in the field of journalism for the past 30 years. He belonged to Sialkot but was currently residing in Quetta. He had been working with Samaa TV for the last two years. Earlier, he was attached with PTV 30 years and he had started his career as a light man and later on promoted as cameraman. He has been survived by four sons, a daughter and a widow.
Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Khan Raisani and Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi and have strongly condemned the suicide blast and appealed to the people to remain calm and foil the malicious designs of the anti-state elements. The Chief Minister has directed Home Department for submitting a comprehensive report about the suicide blast. He has also announced Rs 10 lakh each for the families of deceased police officials, Rs 500,000 each for the families of deceased hospital workers while Rs 400,000 each for families of other deceased persons.
He also announced Rs 100,000 for injured persons of suicide blast.
He strongly condemned the target killing of Arshad Zaidi and suicide blast
and directed authorities concerned for ensuring security of citizens and
immediate arrest of the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, two people were wounded in a bomb blast on Sariab Road of the provincial capital, said police on Friday. Unidentified people had planted an explosive device with a bicycle which was parked at Mir Ghai Khan Chowk. The device exploded and caused injuries to two people including a girl identified as Azra and 26-year-old Muhammad Asif who were passing through the area. The injured were taken to the Bolan Medical Complex Hospital for treatment. Police and personnel of Frontier Corps reached the site after the blast and cordoned off the area.
Meanwhile, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Shabbir Sheikh has said that ‘incidents of target killings could be eradicated through target killings’.
Addressing a Press conference here on Friday, he said that police arrested
culprits but they got released by court due to lack of evidence.
He said that 11 people including two DSPs, two police personnel and a cameraman of channel were killed and 26 others were wounded in suicide bomb blast in Quetta Civil Hospital where many people gathered after the murder of Arshad Zaidi at Manan Chowk.
He said that police succeeded in foiling an attempt of ransacking and looting public property by rioters at Manan Chowk and dispersed them.
To a query, CCPO said that incidents of target killings could only be eradicated through target killings because accused involved in target killings were released from courts.
‘Police had arrested a professor and other persons involved in bomb blasts in Khuzdar but courts released them’, he added.
Responding to a question, CCPO said that police did not conduct the autopsy of victims on the request of their relatives though it was very essential for investigations in such incidents.