QUETTA, Jan 10 (APP):At least 15 worshippers were martyred and 19 others sustained injuries in a blast during Maghrab prayers here at a mosque in Ghausabad locality of Satellite Town on Friday.
According to the Spokesman of Balochistan government, Liaqat Shahwani, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Haji Aman Ullah was among the 15 dead. He said some 19 persons were injured in the blast.
Police and Rescue teams reached the site and shifted the dead and the injured to the Quetta Civil Hospital. An emergency was declared in the hospital on the directive of Chief Minister Mir Jam Kamal Khan.
Law enforcement agencies along with the police cordoned off the entire area and started a joint search operation. Investigations were underway to ascertain the nature of blast.
According to hospital sources, eight of the martyred were identified as DSP Aman Ullah, Hafizeer-ur-Rehman, Rafi-Ullah, Ahmed Ullah, Allah Muhammad, Kaka, Muti Ullah, and Jahangir while the identity of rest could not be ascertained so far.
The injured included Azamat Ullah, Abdul Hadi, Maz Ullah, Hikmat Khan, Qudrat Ullah, Junaid, Shamas Ullah, Inam Ullah, Muti Ullah, Zakir Ullah, Maghfoor Ullah, Maulvi Muhammad, Jamil Ahmed, Abdullah, Aziz Ullah, Abdul Ghafoor, Abdullah Jan, and Akbar Khan Saifullah.
Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan issued directives to the concerned for provision of best medial treatment to the injured, besides beefing up security in the provincial capital.
He said anti-state elements had made a cowardly attack on the innocent people and tried to disrupt the peace of the area. He also issued orders for an inquiry into the blast so as to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Provincial Home Minister Zia Lango also condemned the blast, saying anti-Pakistan forces did not want to see the prosperous Pakistan.
He pledged the anti-state elements would be given an exemplary punishment.
