At least 58 people killed in two suicide blasts in Pak

Karachi/Peshawar: A powerful suicide blast ripped through a mosque in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province on Friday, killing at least 54 people and injuring over 100 others who were preparing to celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, police said.

Hours later, another blast at a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu city killed at least four people and injured 12 others.

At Mastung, the explosion occurred near Madina Mosque on Al Falah Road in the Mastung district when people had gathered in large numbers to mark Eid Miladun Nabi, City Station House Officer Mohammad Javed Lehri said.

“The explosion was a suicide blast’. The bomber exploded himself next to the Deputy Superintendent of Police’s (DSP) car,” Lehri said.

Later, a hand grenade was also defused by the bomb squad from near the blast site, he said.

Bordering Afghanistan and Iran, Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province and has frequently been hit by terror groups including the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State group.

Mastung’s DSP Nawaz Gishkori, who was on duty for the rally, was found dead among others.

Lehri said the wounded were shifted to a medical facility even as an emergency has been imposed in the hospitals.

District Health Officer Rashid Muhammad Saeed said the situation at the hospitals across the town was chaotic as relatives and friends of those killed and injured were making it difficult for the doctors and nurses to perform their duties.

“Around 20 of the patients who were in critical condition have been moved to Quetta for treatment,” he said.

Balochistan Inspector General (IG) Abdul Khalique Sheikh said the suicide bomber blew himself up close to groups of people who were gathering near the mosque to take out the Rabiul Awwal procession to celebrate the Prophet’s birthday.

“Until now we have 54 confirmed casualties,” he said, adding that the injured have been sent to hospitals in Mastung and Quetta.

Sheikh said DSP Ghashhori was killed after he apparently spotted the suicide bomber and tried to stop him. “Three other police officers were also injured in the blast,” he said.

The IG said he was not aware of the exact number of people injured but they were in dozens.

The TTP has denied involvement in Friday’s blast, saying in a statement that such an attack was against its policies. The group also condemned the attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stating that “mosques, schools, and public gatherings are not part of our targets”.

Sheikh said the suspicion is centred around the Daesh (also known as ISIS) terror outfit.

“It is still too early to say who is behind this attack but in the past Daesh militants have been active in Mastung district,” he said.

Sheikh said Daesh had previously claimed responsibility for such attacks in the past.

Mastung District Headquarters Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Nisar Ahmed said 18 bodies were brought to his hospital, while the remaining were moved to the Naqab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital in Mastung and Civil Hospital in Quetta.

The Naqab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital CEO Dr Saeed Mirwani has confirmed that his hospital received 32 bodies, while four bodies were sent to the Civil Hospital in Quetta.

Mirwani said over 100 wounded persons were brought to the hospital of which those in critical condition were referred to Quetta.

Nisar said 20 people were receiving treatment at Mastung DHQ.

Mastung Deputy Commissioner Abdul Razzaq Sasoli said the suicide bomber had waited to get close to the process lining up near the

Madina mosque.