34 killed in 'suicide' blast near Balochistan mosque

Quetta, Sep 29 (IANS) At least 34 people were killed, including a police officer, and more than 130 others injured during a blast near a mosque in Pakistan's Balochistan province on Friday when a large number of people gathered for a religious procession to mark Eid Milad-un-Nabi, officials said.

The incident took place near the Madina Masjid in Mastung district.

The number of casualties was confirmed to Dawn news by Saeed Mirwani, the CEO of Shaheed Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital in Mastung, while City Station House Officer (SHO) Mohammad Javed Lehri said a police official was among the dead.

Mastung Assistant Commissioner (AC) Attahul Munim said the explosion occurred by the car of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nawaz Gishkori who was to remain on the sidelines of the procession.

Meanwhile, SHO Lehri said the explosion was a “suicide blast”.

Pictures and videos on social media showed a number of bodies as onlookers assessed the damage.

Balochistan interim Information Minister Jan Achakzai said rescue teams have been dispatched to Mastung, adding that the critically injured persons were being transferred to the provincial capital of Quetta, Dawn news reported

“The enemy wants to destroy religious tolerance and peace in Balochistan with foreign blessings. The explosion is unbearable,” Achakzai said, adding that an emergency has been imposed in all the hospitals of Mastung.

Meanwhile, the Karachi police said that Additional Inspector General Khadim Husain Rind has directed the police to remain “completely on high alert” in view of the Mastung blast, as well as to monitor any unusual activities during the processions and Friday prayers.

Friday's blast comes in the wake of a series of attacks in Mastung district, reports Dawn news.

Earlier this month, at least 11 people, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Hafiz Hamdullah, were injured in an explosion.

A week before than, a Levies official was gunned down at a bus stand by unidentified men, while two others who were passing by were injured.

In May, unidentified attackers targeted a polio vaccination team in the Killi Sour Karez area on the outskirts of Mastung, resulting in the killing of a policeman.

In October 2022, three people were killed and six others injured in a bomb attack targeting two vehicles in the mountainous area of Qabu in Mastung.

In July 2018, at least 128 people, including politician Nawabzada Siraj Raisani, were killed and more than 200 injured in a deadly suicide blast in the same district.