MASTUNG: At least 25 people were killed and many others injured, including Senate Deputy Chairman Maulana Ghafoor Haideri, as his convoy came under attack in Mastung district of Balochistan on Friday.
The bombing took place near a local seminary shortly after Friday prayers.
The explosion occurred right as Haideri’s convoy was exiting the seminary.
Haideri had been invited to the seminary for an investiture ceremony. An eyewitness present at the event said the guests were leaving for a luncheon when Haideri’s convoy came under attack. He said that there was an explosion, followed by sustained firing. “After the air cleared, we saw bodies everywhere.”
A police car was part of Haideri’s security detail and police officials are among those injured in the blast, another eyewitness said.
DPO Mastung Ghazanfar Ali said initial probe suggested it was a suicide attack. “A suspected suicide bomber hit Ghafoor Haidery’s car,” he said. The DPO said Ghafoor was not in his car at the time of the attack. Hence, he only suffered minor injuries.
Islamic State militant group claimed it had carried out the deadly bomb attack.
The group’s Amaq news agency said a bomber wearing an explosive vest was responsible for the attack.
While speaking briefly to media, he said he had suffered minor injuries but was otherwise fine. He was taken to Combined Military Hospital Quetta for treatment. “I am alive, Allah has saved my life. It was all very sudden. Broken pieces of the windscreen hit me. I am injured but safe. The driver and other people sitting next to me were badly injured,” Haideri said while speaking to a private TV channel.
Kakar said that the death toll had risen to 25, whereas 42 others were wounded in the attack. Haideri’s driver, along with two other associates, later succumbed to their injuries. The majority of those injured and killed were JUI-F party workers, rescue sources said. Levies, police and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel cordoned off the site of the attack. Some wounded were transported to Civil Hospital Mastung, while those in critical condition were transported to Quetta for treatment. An emergency was declared at Civil Hospital Mastung and more doctors were called in, hospital sources said. Quetta hospitals also declared an emergency.
The attack came a day after Haideri said at a press conference in Quetta that the JUI-F would form the next provincial government in alliance with other political parties, including nationalist parties. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack on the motorcade of Haideri. The prime minister expressed deep concern for the well-being of deputy chairman Senate and prayed for his swift recovery, a statement from the PM House said.
He expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the blast on the convoy. He directed the authorities concerned to ensure best medical treatment for those injured in the attack.
The prime minister also prayed for eternal peace for the departed souls and grant of courage to the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss.
Taking notice of the incident, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri directed the authorities concerned to submit a detailed report. JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that his party will hold countrywide protests on Sunday against the ‘act of cowardice’. Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani condemned the incident and termed it ‘an attack on the Parliament of the country’. This is not the first time a JUI-F lawmaker has been targeted. In 2014, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was injured in a suicide blast outside a JUI-F rally in Quetta targeting his vehicle. Before that, Fazl had survived two previous attempts on his life in March 2011 when he was targeted by two back-to-back suicide attacks.
Bordering Iran and Afghanistan, a greater push towards peace and development in Balochistan has reduced the violence considerably in recent years.
