QUETTA: At least 38 persons were killed and around 30 others injured in a bomb blast in Civil Hospital Quetta, hospital sources said, ARY News reported.
Earlier in the morning unknown armed men killed Balochistan Bar President Bilal Anwar Kasi at Mannu Jan Road of Quetta. The dead body of the prominent lawyer was transferred to Civil Hospital. A large number of lawyers were reached Civil Hospital to receive the mortal remains of Bilal Anwar Kasi when the deadly blast hit them at casualty department of the hospital leaving 38 persons dead.
Former president Balochistan Bar Association Baz Mohammad Kakar, who was injured in the bomb attack, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
Two newsmen also said to be missing after the blast near casualty department of the hospital that rocked the city.
Earlier, Kasi was on his way to court from home when unidentified armed men shot him dead on Mannu Jan Road of the city, police sources said.
It was second incident of targeted killing of a lawyer in Quetta in a span of few days.
Shahzad Ahmed, a cameraman of Aaj television channel, succumbed to his injuries in hospital. Two journalists present at the hospital were also said to be untraced after the bomb blast.
A large number of lawyers and newsmen were present in the hospital after killing of the Bar president Bilal Kasi when the bomb device went off at the casualty department of the hospital. The injured included lawyers and other people present at the hospital.
Around 30 persons said to be injured some of them have been in critical condition. The injured have been transferred to Bolan Medical College Hospital and Combined Military Hospital apart of the Civil Hospital Quetta.
Local administration has declared emergency in all hospitals of Quetta and cancelled leaves of doctors and para-medical staff after the terrorist attack that severely bruised normal life in the city.
Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti has announced to launch a crackdown against terrorists in the province.
The Commissioner of Quetta has said that the deadly bomb blast likely to be a suicide attack.
The city’s traders have announced shutter down on Tuesday (tomorrow) to mourn the deadly incident in Quetta.
Quetta, the seat of government of Balochistan province, remains a regular target of terrorist attacks.
The week (Aug 8) began with twin blasts in Balochistan’s provincial capital city Quetta in which more than 55 people were killed according to the provincial Health Minister. The blasts occurred in the emergency ward of Civil Hospital and many of the victims were lawyers and journalists.
The lawyers had come to received the dead body of Balochistan Bar Association President Bilal Kasi and the wounded former Balochistan Bar President Baz Muhammad Kakar who had been gunned down the day before. Later Kakar also succumbed to the wounds. http://bit.ly/2aKWnLw
Shahzad Khan who worked as a cameraman for Aaj News was also killed in the attack, while another cameraman of Dawn News was severely injured in the attack. http://bit.ly/2b07m44
The deaths of media personnel and lawyers is a big blow to our society.
However, through this grim incident one thing is heartening that the media unanimously reported about details about the media personnel caught in this terrorist attack giving their names and the name of their channels.
Unity in the media at this dangerous time is a great thing and shows that in grief Pakistanis will unit and stand by each other. http://bit.ly/2bdoJfp The time is not far when the terrorists will come up against a formidable wall of Pakistanis and fail to divide us.