LAHORE: A suicide blast at the funeral procession of a slain police officer has killed at least 30 people including senior police officials and over 40 have been injured in the south-western Pakistani city of Quetta. Most of the dead and injured are policemen as the blast was occurred outside Police Lines’ mosque where funeral prayer of a slain police officer was to be held. According to media reports, several injured are in critical condition.
Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Fayyaz Ahmed Sumbal and Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) including DSP (Headquarters) Shamsuddin were among the dead. Balochistan’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera and Quetta’s Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Captain (retired) Mir Zubair Mehmood Jabbar were also present on the spot but they have survived the attack.
“So far we can confirm 21 police personnel, including senior police officials, have been killed. Nine other victims are yet to be identified,” IGP Balochistan told during a press conference. “I can confirm 40 people have been injured,” he added. Sukhera also confirmed that it was suicide attack.
Some other senior police officials have told media that at least 38 people have been killed during the attack and more than 50 are injured. According to them, the death toll may rise as many of the wounded are in critical condition.
Earlier in the day, Quetta’s Station House Officer (SHO) City Mohibullah Jan was on his way to market with his 4 kids and a driver when unidentified assailants opened fire on them in the Almo Chowk area. All of them got injured during the attack and were immediately shifted to hospital where Jan succumbed to his injuries.
Some 300 to 400 hundred police officials and relatives of Jan were gathered to attend the slain officer’s funeral prayer in the Police Lines where a suicide bomber blew himself up.
This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.
