Suicide Bombing at Political Rally in Southwestern Pakistan Leaves 13 Dead and 30 Wounded
Attack near stadium during nationalist party rally in Quetta, capital of Balochistan province.
QUETTA: A suicide bombing occurred outside a stadium on Tuesday night following the conclusion of a political rally in the insurgency-hit southwest of Pakistan.
The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 13 individuals and injured 30 others, according to police and hospital officials who provided updates on Wednesday.
The explosion took place near a graveyard adjacent to the stadium located on the outskirts of Quetta, which is the capital of Balochistan province.
Local police chief Majeed Qaisrani confirmed that the remains of the attacker were also recovered at the scene.
Waseem Baig, a spokesperson for a local government hospital, stated they received 13 deceased individuals and numerous wounded, with some described as being in critical condition.
The rally was organized to commemorate the anniversary of Sardar Ataullah Mengal, a prominent nationalist leader and former provincial chief minister of Balochistan.
Akhtar Mengal, the current leader of the Balochistan National Party, escaped harm during the attack but had several supporters among the casualties and injured, as per senior police officer Usama Ameen's account.
Mengal is known for his vocal criticism of the government and frequently holds gatherings to advocate for the release of missing Baloch nationalists.
In response to the bombing, Chief Minister of Balochistan, Sarfraz Bugti, strongly condemned the attack, referring to it as a 'cowardly act of the enemies of humanity.' He ordered the provision of top-tier medical care for those injured and directed a high-level investigation aimed at bringing the perpetrators to justice.
The Interior Minister of Pakistan, Mohsin Naqvi, also denounced the bombing in Islamabad.
He attributed the attack to 'India-backed terrorists and their facilitators,' suggesting an attempted destabilization of the country through targeting civilians.
The region of Balochistan has been a longstanding site of low-intensity insurgency, with groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) advocating for independence from Pakistan's central government.
These separatist movements primarily target security forces and workers from Punjab province, according to authorities.
Despite claims that the insurgency has been largely suppressed, ongoing violence persists in the area.
In July, prior to this incident, gunmen abducted and killed nine individuals after intercepting two passenger buses traveling between Quetta and Punjab province on a highway.
The majority of such attacks have been claimed by the outlawed BLA group.
The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 13 individuals and injured 30 others, according to police and hospital officials who provided updates on Wednesday.
The explosion took place near a graveyard adjacent to the stadium located on the outskirts of Quetta, which is the capital of Balochistan province.
Local police chief Majeed Qaisrani confirmed that the remains of the attacker were also recovered at the scene.
Waseem Baig, a spokesperson for a local government hospital, stated they received 13 deceased individuals and numerous wounded, with some described as being in critical condition.
The rally was organized to commemorate the anniversary of Sardar Ataullah Mengal, a prominent nationalist leader and former provincial chief minister of Balochistan.
Akhtar Mengal, the current leader of the Balochistan National Party, escaped harm during the attack but had several supporters among the casualties and injured, as per senior police officer Usama Ameen's account.
Mengal is known for his vocal criticism of the government and frequently holds gatherings to advocate for the release of missing Baloch nationalists.
In response to the bombing, Chief Minister of Balochistan, Sarfraz Bugti, strongly condemned the attack, referring to it as a 'cowardly act of the enemies of humanity.' He ordered the provision of top-tier medical care for those injured and directed a high-level investigation aimed at bringing the perpetrators to justice.
The Interior Minister of Pakistan, Mohsin Naqvi, also denounced the bombing in Islamabad.
He attributed the attack to 'India-backed terrorists and their facilitators,' suggesting an attempted destabilization of the country through targeting civilians.
The region of Balochistan has been a longstanding site of low-intensity insurgency, with groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) advocating for independence from Pakistan's central government.
These separatist movements primarily target security forces and workers from Punjab province, according to authorities.
Despite claims that the insurgency has been largely suppressed, ongoing violence persists in the area.
In July, prior to this incident, gunmen abducted and killed nine individuals after intercepting two passenger buses traveling between Quetta and Punjab province on a highway.
The majority of such attacks have been claimed by the outlawed BLA group.
