As many as 52 lives were lost and over 50others left wounded in a suicide blast near a mosque in Balochistan province’s Mastung district on Friday, as people gathered in the area for an Eid-e-Milad procession, according to Mastung Assistant Commissioner Attahul Munim.
Munim told Dawn that the explosion occurred when a suicide bomber blew himself up near the car of Mastung Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nawaz Gishkori, who was among the deceased. Several images of the incident showed dead bodies and severed limbs.
At least 28 bodies have been brought to the Shaheed Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital so far, while 22 were taken to the Mastung district hospital.
According to Balochistan interim Information Minister Jan Achakzai, critically injured people are being transferred to Quetta and an emergency has been imposed in all hospitals. Caretaker Chief Minister Ali Mardan Donki has directed authorities to arrest the perpetrators, he said.
The Karachi police said that its Additional Inspector General has directed the police to remain “completely on high alert” in view of the blast and policemen are expected to tighten security arrangements for Eid-i-Milad processions.
Several Pakistani ministers condemned the incident and expressed condolences for the victims of the suicide blast.
