Blast in Quetta Civil Hospital | Death Toll Rise to 63

The death toll have risen to 63 people killed when a suicide bomber blew himself inside the Civil Hospital on Monday, police said. Scores have been reported injured in the attack.

There was no claim of responsibility for the blast, which occurred at the gates of the building housing the emergency ward. Bomb Disposal Squad officials confirmed the explosion was a suicide bombing.

“The blast took place after a number of lawyers and some journalists had gathered at the hospital following the death of the president of the Balochistan Bar Association in a separate shooting incident this morning,” said Balochistan Home Secretary Akbar Harifal.

CM Balochistan says RAW behind terrorism in Quetta

Condemning the attack, Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri told local TV channel Geo News that Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was behind terror incidents in Quetta.

The CM shared this statement with the media before initial investigations into the blast were completed, and before the nature of the blast was confirmed.

Zehri said the attack appeared to be a suicide attack, but police were still investigating.

More than 50 mourners were entering the emergency department of the hospital, accompanying Advocate Bilal Anwar Kasi’s body, when the bomb went off, Faridullah, a journalist who was at the scene, told Reuters.

According to senior police official Zahoor Ahmed Afridi, most of the dead were lawyers. Several lawyers including the former president of Balochistan Bar Association Baz Mohammad Kakar were reported injured.

Journalists present at the premises also came in the line of fire and the cameraman for DawnNews was severely injured in the explosion. Shahzad Khan, a cameraman associated with Aaj TV, was killed in the blast.

An emergency was declared in hospitals across Quetta and several injured were shifted to other hospitals for treatment.

“This was a security lapse,” Balochistan Home Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said, adding that he was personally investigating the attack. He said the hospital had not received any threats in the past.

Following the blast in Quetta, Inspector General (IG) police A.D. Khawaja issued a high security alert across Sindh.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the blast in Quetta and expressed his “deep grief and anguish over the loss of precious human lives” in the attack.

“No one will be allowed to disturb the peace in the province that has been restored thanks to the countless sacrifices by the security forces, police and the people of Balochistan,” he said in a statement.

Condemnation Pour in

President Mamoon and PM Nawaz directed for provision of best treatment to those injured in the attack. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has also condemned the blast.

Chairman #PPP @BBhuttoZardari strongly condemns bomb blast in #Quetta Civil Hospital https://t.co/RZl6RnYWAy

— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) August 8, 2016

#RIPShehzad (Cam man Aaj TV) Get well soon Fareed (Reporter Dunya) Mehmood (Cam man Dawn). Stay safe everyone #Quetta

— Gharidah Farooqi (@GFarooqi) August 8, 2016

#Quetta Bleeding with the blood of Journalists, Lawyers and Paramedics

— Riaz sohail (@RiazSangi) August 8, 2016

Condemning the #QuettaBlast is not enough. Balochistan needs attention immediately. Where is #NAP?Govt's counterterror plan is in shambles

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) August 8, 2016

Condemnable cowardly terrorists strike Quetta targeting bar president then civil hospital. Even in war hospitals not delib targeted.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 8, 2016

Horrific terror attack in Civil hospital Quetta – 25 innocent ppl dead, many critically injured. Another repetitive tale of horror ag r ppl

— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) August 8, 2016

Lawyers targeted

Lawyers have been targeted several times in the last few months in Balochistan.

A lawyer, Jahanzeb Alvi, was shot dead by unknown armed men in the Brewery road area of Quetta last week on Aug 3.

Advocate Bilal Kasi, who himself was shot dead on the morning of Monday’s blast, had strongly condemned the murder of Advocate Alvi and announced two days’ boycott of courts proceedings.

The principal of University of Balochistan’s law college, Barrister Amanullah Achakzai, was also shot dead by unknown assailants on Spini Road here in June.

Balochistan has been experiencing incidents of violence and targeted killings for over a decade. More than 1,400 incidents targeting the minority Shia and Hazara community have taken place in the province during the past 15 years.

The largest province of the country by area, is home to a low-level insurgency by ethnic Baloch separatists. Al Qaeda-linked and sectarian militants also operate in the region. The province shares borders with Afghanistan and Iran.