Explosion took place when lawyers and media persons were gathered outside Emergency Ward
CM holds RAW responsible; President,PM, Ministers and others condemn incident.
QUETTA: Quetta witnessed the most dastardly act of terrorism in which at least 70 people were killed and around 30 injured, some of them seriously, when an early morning explosion took place on Monday in Quetta’s Civil Hospital, as body of Balochistan Bar Association President Bilal Kasi was brought there after his killing, eye witnesses said. Medical Superintendent of Quetta Civil Hospital confirmed the number of deads and injured.INP reported.
The explosion took place when lawyers had gathered outside Emergency Ward of the hospital where the dead body of the President Balochistan Bar Council Bilal Anwar Kasi, had been brought for autopsy. Official said about 7 to 8 kgs of explosive with ball bearing was used in the blast by the suicide bomber.
Quetta witnessed the most dastardly act of terrorism in which at least 70 people were killed and around fifty injured, 20 of them seriously, when an early morning explosion took place on Monday in Quetta’s Civil Hospital, when body of Balochistan Bar Association President Bilal Kasi was brought there after his killing, eye witnesses said.
The explosion took place when lawyers had gathered outside Emergency Ward of the hospital where the dead body of the President Balochistan Bar Council Bilal Anwar Kasi, had been brought for autopsy.INP reported.
Bilal Kasi was earlier shot dead by unknown gunmen on Mannu Jan road Quetta when he was on his way from his home to Balochistan High Court.
Eye witnesses said that several lawyers were killed and injured in the explosion. Some media persons who had reached at the civil hospital were also injured while cameraman of Aaj TV channel was killed.
Police said that unknown men also opened fire after the blast. Panic tore through the hospital after the incident. The blast occurred after Balochistan Bar Association’s president was gunned Town on Mano Jaan road of the city. He was shot dead by unknown gunmen as he came out of his home to proceed to the court.
His body was brought to the hospital. The suicide explosion occurred when lawyers gathered at the hospital to pay their condolence. Reports said that majority of those killed and injured were Lawyers. Among the dead is former President of Quetta Bar Association Baz Mohammad Kakar.
Security forces have surrounded the area. Emergency has been declared at the hospitals of the city and leaves of the doctors and paramedics have been cancelled.
President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have strongly denounced the blast at civil hospital in Quetta and expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives.
Deploring the loss of precious lives in the incident, the Prime Minister directed the concerned authorities to maintain utmost vigilance and beef up security for the legal fraternity and members of civil society.
PM Nawaz Sharif said no one will be allowed to disturb peace in the province that has been restored due to countless sacrifices of security forces, police and the people of Balochistan.
Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri said it will have to be seen who are the facilitators and financiers of the terrorists. He said they are enemies of the country and said the security forces are standing like a rock to eliminate them. He said RAW was behind the blast and the enemies would be followed and arrested.
The Chief Minister announced a three day mourning in the province.
Commander Southern Command Lt General Aamir Riaz visited Civil Hospital and met the injured persons. He also consoled the relatives of the dead and injured and assured them that the culprits would not go unpunished.
Strongly condemning the suicide blast at Civil hospital here Home Minister Balochistan Sarfraz Bugti vowed that those responsible for the attack will be brought to justice. Bugtu said that Balochistan government is in pain and sorrow over the incident. Targeting a lawyer on one hand and targeting people at Civil hospital on the other is a security lapse and action will be taken against whosoever is found responsible for inferior security measures, he added.
He further said that notice has been taken about the absence of security at lawyers’ protest while emergency has been imposed at all hospitals in Quetta.
Sarfraz Bugti said it was a preplanned strike by terrorists as the explosion took place when the dead body of Bilal Anwar Kasi was brought to the civil hospital and large number of lawyers and media persons were present outside the emergency department. The blast destroyed the emergency and casualty departments.He said the government would protect the lives of the people.
The injured were then shifted to Combined Military Hospital, Bolan medical hospital and private hospitals.
Talking to media the spokesman of Balochistan government Anwar ul Haq Kakar said that emergency has been declared in all hospitals of the city. He said that all medical facilities are being provided to those injured in the incident.
The spokesman said that the terrorists are resorting to such acts to make their presence
felt by the people.
However, he said the government is determined to go to any limit to root out terrorism.
The President and the Prime Minister directed for provision of best treatment to those injured in the attack. They prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss.
Former President Asif Ali Zardari, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan have also condemned the Quetta blast.
Leaders from a cross sectionof people have condemned the bloodshed in Quetta. They include former Chief minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, Federal Minister Mir Hasil Bizenjo, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Former President also offered his deepest condolences to the bereaved families, prayed for eternal peace to those who lost their lives and speedy recovery to those injured.
President of Supreme Court Bar Association Mr Ali Zafar while condemning the blast said there is no doubt that lawyers were target of the terrorists. He insisted for a strategy to protect the lawyers across the country in general and Quetta in particular. He said the governments have failed to provide security to the people.
Ali Zafar said the lawyers of the entire country are standing with their Quetta brothers as the attack is not against Quetta lawyers but against the entire legal community. He announced a week of mourning for the killed lawyers.
PM & COAS visited CMH; enquired health of blast victims
QUETTA :Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif paid visit to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Quetta on Monday along with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif in order to enquire about the health of the victims of the blast that took place at the Civil Hospital earlier in the day, reported Dunya News.
PM Nawaz stated that the families of the martyrs of the blast shall not be abandoned at the hour of grief.
Governor KP condemns Quetta blast
Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Eng. Iqbal Zafar Jhagra on Monday has strongly condemned bomb blasts at Civil Hospital Quetta and expressed his deep shock and sorrow over the loss of precious innocent lives. Online reported.
In a statement issued here, the Governor expressed heartfelt sympathies with the members of the bereaved families and termed the bomb blast as a cowardly and heinous act of terror.
CM announced 3-day mourning
QUETTA:Chief Minister (CM) Balochistan Nawab Sanaullah Zehri has announced three-day mourning in the province following the suicide blast in Quetta’s Civil hospital that killed atleast 52 people and injured more than 50.
Many of the dead were lawyers and journalists who had earlier gathered to cover a protest over the murder of Balochistan Bar Association president Bilal Anwar Kasi.
CM Balochistan while talking to reporters blamed intelligence agency RAW for all the terrorist activity in the province and said that it is actively involved in destabilising Pakistan while funding the terrorists.
Prominent political personalities while condemning the blast, vowed not to let the terorists succeed in their goal.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack and expressed sympathy with the bereaved families.
Lawyers strike in different cities after Quetta hospital blast
KARACHI: Lawyers in different cities have gone on strike after over 52 lawyers were killed in a suicide blast in Quetta’s Civil Hospital, reported Monday.
A large number of lawyers were gathered at the Civil Hospital following murder of Balochistan Bar Association President Bilal Anwar Kasi earlier today in Quetta as his body was shifted there.
After learning about the news of casualties, lawyers across Sindh and other cities boycotted proceedings of the courts.
CPNE condemns Quetta attack
Karachi (PR): The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) has strongly denounced the blast at civil hospital in Quetta.
CPNE while expressing deep grief over the loss of human lives especially the martyrdoms of cameramen of private TV channels including AAj TV Shehzad Khan, Mehmood of Dawn TV and injured reporter Farid Ullah termed the Quetta’s attack as anti social measurements.
The President of CPNE Zia Shahid and Secretary General Ijaz ul Haq have expressed in joint statement that it was the government responsibility to protect people, media houses and infrastructures and added there should be no negligence in it. “It was constitutional and legal responsibility of the sitting government and state departments to protect the masses and media houses departments’ they added.
They expressed their commitment that despite of this hideous attack the journalist community would perform their duties with more pledge without any fear. Government should make sure the security of media housed and offices of newspapers’ they demanded. CPNE also asked the government to immediately announce the compensation amount for the heirs of martyrdom journalists and also provide health facilities to injured persons.
CJP condemns Quetta hospital blast
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali has strongly condemned the assassination of Mr. Bilal Anwar Kasi, President, Baluchistan High Court Bar Association, Quetta and the bomb blast at Civil Hospital, Quetta that claimed lives of innocent lawyers including Mr. Baz Muhammad Kakar, Member, Supreme Court Bar Association and other citizens besides causing injuries to many people. INP reported.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan has offered his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for speedy recovery to those who injured.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan hoped that the Federal / Provincial Governments would leave no stone unturned to justice. He also stressed on taking effective measures to improve law and order situation in Baluchstian as well as in the rest of the country.
EU strongly condemns Quetta attack
Islamabad: The European Union (EU) has strongly condemned the deadly attack that occurred inside the civil hospital in Quetta on Monday.
In a press statement the EU spokesperson stated that there is no justification for such acts of terrorism. Statement further added that EU continues to stand with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and also support the Pakistani authorities in their efforts to maintain the rule of law.
